


Unbreakable

by KatrinaRice



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: ABO, Alpha Levi, Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, No mpreg, Omega Erwin, Omega Erwin Smith, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:41:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 37,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26082859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatrinaRice/pseuds/KatrinaRice
Summary: Erwin looks like an Alpha. A fine specimen at that. But he isn't an Alpha. And that's a problem. Because Erwin hates being an Omega – and he hates Alphas.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 104
Kudos: 241





	1. Chapter 1

He looks like an Alpha, a splendid specimen at that. As if someone cut him straight out of a school book about secondary genders, depicting the most perfect traits of the leading group for all kids and adults to understand. An ideal image. An Alpha-prototype. For Erwin Smith is tall, towers over the majority of men and women around him. His natural, thick hair is perfectly blond with shades of beautiful sunshine in it, and he has deep blue eyes of the pure sky. His lightly tanned skin is smooth and silky, and his sharp cheekbones, the aquiline nose and strong jawline make him look somehow aristocratic, presuming a strong bloodline. He is well-built, training is easy for him, his muscles many and taut. 

Yes, Erwin Smith is the perfect Alpha. Only he isn’t an Alpha. And that’s the problem.

“Make sure to call me once you’re home,” Mike says before they part ways, the voice of his best friend whom he’s known since kindergarten – a true Alpha – startling Erwin out of another daydream of pity.

“Sure,” he answers, managing a smile, waving goodbye before he enters his place of employment. Which is unlike anything he had ever imagined for himself, anything he had ever hoped for, worked for. Hard. But it’s the only job that he can have, considering his vile nature. 

Erwin presented as an Omega early, merely at the age of twelve. And life has been hell ever since. Not because of the pure fact that he is what he is, but because Erwin has a rare Omegan condition – his cycle is irregular, and thus, so are his heats. The blond man can go into estrus just days after ending a heat of three to five or even seven days. Then, it’s possible that for two months nothing happens – only for Erwin to suddenly find himself what one could call bedridden for nearly two weeks, with a high fever and an even higher urge to mate, plunging from a period of heavenly peace into utter hormonal chaos.

And he hates it. He despises it. Despises himself.

Medication, suppressants and all the other stuff developed for Omegas, enabling them a nearly normal lifestyle, don’t work on Erwin. He’s tried them all, despite all the doctor’s he’s been to telling him to just cut it out. But in the end they were all right, and all that the injections, tablets and syrups brought were side effects like headaches and nausea – and not relief.

Finishing school, despite Erwin’s high intellect, had been a hassle. He insisted on trying to go to university, study economics via a distance learning institution, working from home, taking part in online classes, despite his father’s pleas to just start an apprenticeship at one of the Omega-friendly companies. And he finished his studies – but only after seven years instead of three, thanks to his irregular heats making it hard to follow the lectures and to keep up with his homework. And then, just as his father had predicted, he couldn’t find any work in his profession. For a couple of reasons.

For one: He was an Omega, and even though gender discrimination was at an official all time low, with wars long fought and won, it was still hard to find a good job as an Omega; because in reality the majority of the society still believed that all Omegas should do was to bond with an Alpha, take care of the household and produce children. Which was another problem: Because Erwin couldn’t have any, also thanks to his rare condition. And: Nobody wanted to employ an Omega with a heat as irregular as Erwin’s causing unpredictable and long-lasting absences.

He still remembers the shame and obscenity of him being forced to hand over medical records when seeking employment, an official heat calendar, revealing his most private facts to strangers who rejected him with a fake smile and a cold, condescending look.

“Hey, you!” Moblit greets him with a happy voice and warm smile as Erwin enters the Omega-only-café owned by the man, one of the very few in town, enabling people of their kind to meet with each other, without any Alpha or Beta to interfere. A private space, a safe space, also used by many Omega support groups and activists as a venue to hold their events at. “You all right? You look kinda tired.”

“Hey, Mob. I’m fine, I just… I had a rough night.”

“Nightmares again?”

“Unfortunately…”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” says the man with light hair. “You sure you wanna work today?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it…”

“Okay. If you start feeling funny, let me know. You know the drill.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Erwin mutters walking towards the small office in the back of the café, hating ‘the drill’, consisting of Moblit calling his father to pick him up to bring him home, anytime one of Erwin’s heats kicked in. Or Hange – another old time friend of Erwin’s, an Alpha just like Mike, and also Moblit’s bonded mate and spouse, who is also the reason Erwin actually has this job.

Hange introduced the blond to their Omega, told Moblit about the young Smith’s situation; and Moblit was and is a very emphatic man. And a proud Omega, a caring Omega, concerned with other men and women of his kind. He immediately took Erwin in. And now, the not-so-young Smith has been working here for more than a decade, supporting Armin on the book keeping, but mostly brewing coffee and serving customers. Because he cannot work as a full-time accountant for Moblit, considering his many periods of absence due to his condition.

It’s a shame, and on many days Erwin just wants to punch himself or drown in the river. These are his darkest days. But he manages to pick himself up again, because working in the café isn’t ideal and what Erwin wanted in life, but it also isn’t the _worst_ job. Besides: His friends support him. And Erwin’s gotten used to his fucked up body, glad that even though his heats appear irregularly, they don’t just start any _second_. 

There are certain signals Erwin has learned to interpret. The slowly developing nausea. A certain tingling of his skin. The feeling of a very slow shiver running down his back. A warmth slowly pooling in his belly. Reading those signs helps him to evade embarrassing situations, as those symptoms appear approximately a good hour before his heat fully kicks in. Enough time for someone of his inner circle to get him home.

“Have you thought about it?” Hange asks as Erwin and Moblit close the café and walk Erwin to his car.

“About what?”

Hange rolls their eyes, yet with a warm smile on their lips. “Contacting my friend’s heat agency.”

“Oh. _That_.”

“I think an Alpha, or a number of Alphas to support you during your heats could actually, er, make it a little easier? Maybe even… lower their frequency? I mean: It definitely helped me to decrease the period of my heats,” Moblit joins in softly, offering a smile when Erwin casts him a glance, sighing.

“Look, if you are unhappy with my long absences – and I know their number has increased lately – you can fire me anytime, I won’t be mad about it.”

“No way, Erwin! This… This isn’t about that! You know that! Take as much time off as you need, whenever you need it – that’s our deal and you know I will have you working for me forever!” Moblit reassures, making Erwin smile faintly, feeling grateful. 

Hange releases a frustrated groan. “Erwin,” they say, a little bit more serious. “You need an Alpha.”

The blond man scoffs, feeling uncomfortable about this topic. “I will never bond with an Alpha,” he states. Because he isn’t particularly fond of Alphas – except for his friends. But that’s because they have known him since he was a child, before he presented, and they have never looked down on him after, like so many Alphas out there do. Also, their scent has never affected him, and both Mike and Hange had always used functioning suppressants around him to not ever let out their pheromones anyway. And when they both bonded with their Omega partner, this became redundant, because an Alpha-Omega-bond works magic, indeed, Erwin has to admit that.

After the bond the release of pheromones changes: An Alpha will only react to his Omega’s pheromones, and an Omega will only react to his Alpha’s. Also, the Alpha’s pheromones, just as the Omega’s, do not have any effect on other people – it’s like they suddenly cannot be detected by outsiders anymore after the bond. Scientists still cannot come up with a thorough explanation for this change, they can only confirm it. Just as much as they can’t exactly explain why the scent of a bonded pair loses its intensity to others.

“I’m not telling you to _bond_ with an Alpha,” Hange continues, “though personally think this would be a good idea.”

“Hange,” Erwin cuts them off sternly, looking deep into his friend’s eye. “You know just as much as I do that no Alpha would bond with an infertile Omega. With irregular heats. In their mid-fucking thirties at that. And don’t take it personally, but I fucking hate all Alphas besides you and Mike anyway. And I am definitely not going to call that heat agency to whore myself out to all those unbonded Alpha-jerks taking advantage of my nature to feed their perverted, sexual desires. I think it’s disgusting that those agencies even exist. You should know better, you know how vulnerable Omegas are during their heat. Those fuckers exploit that, doing things that they had previously promised not to do, I’ve read enough of this shit in tons of online forums. Moblit, we even have a special support group for that coming in next month, and you’re approving this?”

“Erwin,” Hange speaks to him softly, “this agency is different. It is run by my very good friend Mikasa and the Alphas are trustworthy.”

“Says every agency about itself. Hange, please. Spare me. I’m not doing that.”

Both Hange and Moblit exchange a silent look, and Erwin tries hard to swallow down his anger. Because it’s true. He hates Alphas, he doesn’t want to bond with one of them. But what he hates more is the fact that during his heats, when he is so awfully, shamefully, disgracefully aroused like an animal, he yearns for an Alpha to be there for him, soothe him, take him, breed him – even though there would be no fruit.

Erwin hates his Omega nature. Hates his condition. And he doesn’t know which one he detests more.

“All I’m asking of you is to give this a chance,” Hange carries on in their tender tone. “It’s not like I’m asking you to have sex with one of the Alphas immediately. Just meet up with one, see whether you like him, go on a date – and _maybe_ you stubborn donkey will realize that you actually like this Alpha, and maybe _one day_ you can open up enough to actually let him take care of you during your heat?”

“It’s still whoring myself out.”

“Honey, it’s not!”

“Don’t ‘honey’ me. ‘Honey’ Moblit.”

The man in question sighs with a frail smile on his lips. “Hange,” he says to his Alpha, “give this a rest.”

“Yes, listen to your wise Omega,” Erwin agrees.

But Hange is a stubborn donkey, too. “Just meet with one single Alpha from the agency,” they go on, “just to give this a small chance. Mikasa told me she has the perfect candidate for you.”

“Oh, so you have already given the agency boss my personal info without my consent?” Anger is welling up in Erwin’s chest. Mixed with fear.

His fear of unknown Alphas and of what they might do to him.

For the majority of his life Erwin has tried not to cross paths with Alphas, except for his friends. Going to an Omega-Beta-school, not driving on public transportation, always by car, choosing to buy his groceries online with a strict Beta delivery service or shopping at the only Omega-only store in the city, never going out alone without Mike or Hange by his side, spending most of his free time alone in his childhood room and now in his own apartment, close to his father’s. Because he was and is just so scared of Alphas and their invading scent and of what their pheromones might do to him.

It’s not like he has ever been in a risky situation, except for feeling intimidated when an Alpha looked at him with contempt in his eyes, releasing a dangerous scent upon realizing his own mistake in taking Erwin for another Alpha, appalled at the Omega being bigger and more handsome than the Alpha-idiot full of shit once he registered Erwin’s true nature.

Once, Erwin smelled the sudden release of Alpha pheromones in public, of a couple taking it too far in the park, quickly jumping into a cab to drive off to… Well. 

And it didn’t even necessarily affect Erwin except for a light tingling in his abdomen that passed the second he felt abhorred about it. Most Alphas take suppressants, too. This is why the case of an Alpha releasing his pheromones is rare. This is why Erwin should feel safe. But he doesn’t. Because their dominating scent is quite scary and disgusting, too. Because Erwin just fucking hates their superiority that comes along with it, hates the fact that he feels powerless and scared and daunted. 

And he hates the fact that he feels like baring his neck for an Alpha. Hates the fact that he desires to be pushed down by an Alpha. Hates the fact that he yearns for an Alpha to protect him, when he has all the power and brains to do so himself, because he’s independent and strong and brave. And he hates the fact that he longs for an Alpha to fuck him deep into the mattress, to claim him, mark him, make him his possession. 

Because this is what a bonded Omega is, in the eyes of nature and also in the eyes of the law – an Alpha’s possession.

“I didn’t give Mikasa your personal info,” Hange tries to calm their friend down, “I just talked to her a little about you.”

“And what did you tell her?”

“Does it matter?”

“No, it does not, because I’m not gonna meet with any prick of this agency,” Erwin grumbles. “But don’t ever fucking do it again, Hange. I mean it.”

Hange smiles lightly. “The Alpha in question is just like you.”

“What? Broken, depressed, infertile and old?”

“Erwin, please stop,” Moblit mumbles, sounding hurt, but Erwin ignores him, and so does Hange.

“His looks are deceiving, just like yours, and he is a kind man, and also very sceptic about the whole heat agency thing,” Hange explains in a tender tone.

“Then why is he a part of that?”

“Well, he’s not really a part of it,” the Alpha explains cautiously. “He’s Mikasa’s cousin and he’s doing her a favour.”

“A favour?” Erwin cocks one of his big bushy brows.

“She’s only getting started with the agency and she only hires people she trusts fully, because, unlike other agencies, she really cares about Omegas.”

“But she’s an Alpha, correct?”

“Bonded to a very nice Omega. She has three Omega kids herself. She’s an Omega activist and truly one of the most wonderful people, the most wonderful Alphas I know. And when I told her about you, and your situation, she immediately thought of her cousin Levi and convinced him to meet with you.”

“So you’re trying to set me up with an Alpha that isn’t even a legal part of the heat agency? Are you crazy? Like: Really crazy?”

“It’s only a cup of coffee, Erwin.”

“With an Alpha I know nothing about and who doesn’t even have a signed contract with the agency binding him to a certain set of rules and could do anything to me – like, trigger my heat with his pheromones, rape me, kille me, rob me. And without the contract I wouldn’t even be able to sue him because of that. Great thinking, Hange. Enough of this, I’m going home,” Erwin states, slamming the door of his old Ford loudly, starting the engine immediately without even properly saying goodbye to his friends.

Because he is so fucking furious. About everything. About him being an Omega, about his friends claiming he needed an Alpha, about the whole society trying to make him believe that being bonded was the only way for him to exist and fit in – and about a part of himself believing in this crap, wanting it, craving an Alpha. And God, he fucking hates Alphas so much…

“Look!” Hange exclaims just a few days later when they come to pick Moblit up and the pair sits down with Erwin in a nearby park for a late portion of ice cream on a Friday night, sliding a piece of paper over to the blond man, looking like an important document. Because it _is_ an important document. A contract. “Levi is now officially a part of the heat agency, Mikasa had him sign a contract. A contract I myself worked out,” Hange, a practitioning lawyer, emphasized, tapping the document with her finger, smiling excitedly. “I was very thorough, Erwin. Please take it home and read it, even if you don’t wanna meet Levi. I put in a lot of effort into this so just do me the favour of trying to comprehend it at least, okay?”

Erwin’s mood is spoiled, but he also feels a tad bad about his thoughts and behaviour. Because Hange is really trying to help him. 

“I’ll read it,” he thus promises. But he doesn’t. 

At least not immediately. 

The contract lies untouched until it’s Sunday night. And knowing that he will see Hange on Monday, he finally forces himself to pick the document up after a dinner of spaghetti with way too much sauce and three episodes of his favourite TV-show about a world without secondary genders.

Hange, indeed, was thorough with this. The contract has everything – and it’s been set up for the café date only, stating that if another meeting was to take place, a second contract taking in the surroundings of their next date would follow as an extension of the document. This one forces Levi to take the strongest suppressant before their date with Hange as his witness, even prohibits him from kissing Erwin, just as much as it prohibits marking and bonding, emphasizing Erwin is to wear a throat and neck protector when they meet. It even includes what Levi is to do when Erwin suddenly goes into heat – call Hange, deliver Erwin into the hands of a Beta of the café and leave immediately.

It’s a nice contract, a good one. The café is a safe place to meet, with Beta owners and Omega waiters to watch over him and help him, if necessary.

Erwin feels like a whore nonetheless. 

“Did you read it?” Moblit asks when they both sit down at the back of the café to enjoy a coffee during their break.

“Yes.”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t understand why it is so important to Hange and you that I meet with an Alpha. I feel like you’re my pimps. And I don’t like that.”

“It’s not about sex.”

“Ultimately, it is.”

Moblit sighs. “Okay, maybe it is. But… Look. I’m an Omega just like you.”

“You are nothing like me,” it pours out of Erwin’s mouth before he can stop himself, realizing just how harsh and somewhat condescending those words sound as they are out in the open, even if they are not meant like that. “Uh, sorry, I mean…”

Moblit offers him a soft, sad smile. “I know, I may not have the condition you have, but I dare say that I know what a heat feels like, I know what being an Omega feels like – unbonded, alone, without any support during estrus and in everyday situations,” he explains and Erwin stares into the cup in his hand, feeling uncomfortable and…. sad. “I know you hate being an Omega, but there is nothing you can do about that: You can’t change your gender, but you can change the way you deal with it. You need to accept your needs, and I’m sure you have them: The need to be with an Alpha.”

Erwin wants to scoff, to tell Moblit to shut up and be gone. The problem is that his friend and boss can see right through him. Look into his disgusting nature with disgraceful desires.

“I don’t want to… I don’t want to submit to a fucking Alpha. I mean, yeah, I feel the need, during heat especially. But I don’t want to.”

“Do you want to be lonely for the rest of your life?”

“I don’t feel lonely,” Erwin states.

It’s a lie.

But he’s rather be a lonely liar than some Alpha’s bitch.

Moblit sighs. “You know Hange won’t shut up until you meet up with Levi.”

Erwin scoffs. “They will.”

They don’t.

“For goodness’s sake!” they lament two weeks later, after talking about the contract, the agency and Erwin’s date incessantly. “I don’t want you to bond with Levi, that’s not the point, Erwin! I just want you to go for a cup of coffee with him so that you spend some time in the company of an Alpha to finally get it into your head that not each of us is in pursuit to exploit an Omega. And what would be so bad, if you got a good lay out of this during your heat at some point?! But for now, it’s only coffee, so please, for the love of God, agree to this! Just. Coffee. With. A. Nice. Alpha.”

“How do you know he’s nice?” Erwin asks, picking up speed to finally reach his car and drive off.

“I’ve met him.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, he’s… He’s not like other Alphas.”

Erwin scoffs. “That is a very clichéd thing to say, especially after you have only met him once. Briefly, I assume?”

“I spent a whole evening with Mikasa and Levi. He’s great. Might look rough and grim at first sight, I admit that, but once you start interacting with him you can actually see that he is a good man at heart.”

“Maybe when he’s talking to you, another Alpha. Could be different if he’s with an Omega.”

“I saw him interact with Eren, Mikasa’s Omega mate. He treats him with respect, they get along very well.”

“Yeah, well, that’s because it’s his cousin’s partner.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Hange spits out throwing their arms exasperatedly into the air. “Do you always have to be so negative?!”

Hange’s words sting, and Erwin’s happy he’s in his car, waving goodbye and driving off.

A few days later, he receives a text from an unknown number. And he wants to murder Hange. But he’s also intrigued.

_“Hi, this is Levi – Hange gave me your number and forced me to text you. I’m sorry about the inconvenience. She’s a handful and she’s probably giving you tons of shit about this date of ours. She’s a little bit eccentric... So, I’ll be honest: I’m only doing this because Mikasa asked me to and I love my cousin and I believe her work is great, even though I’m not really suitable to be an Alpha at a heat agency. This is why I only “signed up” for you. Tell you what: let’s just get this over with. Go for that fancy coffee and cake, talk a little, enjoy the evening, and then Mikasa and Hange can (nicely) fuck off – how about it?”_

Erwin ponders this for quite some time, with Hange nagging him to reply, even though he does reveal the contents of Levi’s message to them. And then, after three days pass, and he cannot stand to listen to Hange’s and Moblit’s enquiries about his date with Levi, Erwin agrees.

“Okay,” he texts Levi, receiving a thumbs-up-emoticon from the Alpha.

Only four days later, Erwin’s on his way to the café. And he cannot describe what he is feeling. He’s nervous, pissed off, frightened, even more pissed off because of this, irritated and, well… uncomfortable. 

It’s the thought about Levi’s words that makes Erwin feel a tad better about the whole thing, because the Alpha also just wants to _get this over with_. Which means they will each have a cup of coffee, talk for twenty minutes max and then he’ll be on his way home, telling Hange he hated it and to never bother him with such nonsense again. They promised him to do so should the date not play out well, and Hange keeps their promises.

He’s ten minutes early, decides to walk to the café nonetheless to be the first at the table. 

He has no idea what Levi looks like because Hange didn’t want to show him a picture and Erwin didn’t want to ask Levi himself. The Alpha man merely texted him he’d be wearing all black. And that he has a big scar on the right side of his face which should make identifying him easy for Erwin, who merely told the Alpha that he was “big and blond”. 

Erwin sighs, crossing the street, steering his “big and blond” body towards the entrance of the café. Just a couple of metres before the entrance, his eyes focussed on the big windows of the location scanning the inside for his ‘date’, his nervousness picking up, Erwin bumps into another person coming from out of nowhere.

“Oh, s-sorry!” he mumbles, taking a step back, lowering his gaze to look at whom he has just walked into. 

Glaring up at him is a man dressed in black, approximately thirty centimetres shorter than Erwin, with raven black hair parted to the side along with a neatly trimmed undercut. His eyes are blue, just like Erwin’s. But where the blond man’s orbs make one think of a sun-filled day, this man’s eyes call upon the images of a magnificent storm. His skin is pale, his lips thin, his jaw sharp – and on the right side of his small face, a scar runs down from the outer tip of his dark eyebrow down his cheek, ending at his rosy mouth.

It’s Levi.

Levi, who – except for that impressive scar – could totally pass as an Omega due to his short build, but who is definitely an Alpha, his powerful glare cold and full of anger. And just as Erwin wants to say something, opening his mouth, he is hit by intimidating waves of resentment along with a scent that fills his nostrils up completely and makes his mind go… _absolutely dizzy_. 

The fragrance, Levi’s scent, is intense. An aroma of leather mixed with the fresh smell of a beautiful forest after rain, it’s musky, too. Manly. It’s intoxicating. And it stops just as abruptly as it emerged, as Levi’s facial expression softens, his eyes widening.

“E-Erwin?” he asks, his voice deep and melodic – and Erwin’s fucking high. As if he had just smoked a joint, and downed a glass of vodka straight after. Heat isn’t pooling in his belly. It has already infiltrated the whole space, starts spreading out across all of his veins like a racing car, like an electrical current after a thunderbolt striking. Erwin’s groin stirs, lust flowing through his organism uncontrollable, his face heating up as if he had a fever as his manhood begins to swell and he feels slick dribbling out of his hole.

He’s in heat.

Right now.

Right there.

Fuck.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for your feedback so far! I loved every line you left for me to read, you really made my day! I feel so grateful <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy the update! Let me know :)

For the first time in his life, there are no warning signals. Erwin’s estrus just starts. Just like _that_. Like a lamp being switched on. Like a rocket catapulted into space. Like a bomb dropped onto the ground. Accelerating from zero to a hundred in just a single second. 

Only because of that intoxicating, fucking Alpha scent. 

Only because of Levi.

Levi who is the most handsome man Erwin has ever seen, with eyes the blond finds himself getting lost in, the Alpha’s pale skin calling him to touch it all over. Levi, with a raspy, deep voice as sweet as sinful, dark chocolate. And it’s as if someone, as if the Alpha’s scent, has obliterated his mind, like a strong wind, a hurricane, pushing all sanity to the farthest corner of his head, forcing it into a crevice of Erwin’s skull. They are still there, the voices of reason, the screams of fear, the feelings of dread; but they are nothing more than a faint whisper against the deafening howling of the natural disaster. 

For this is exactly what this is: Erwin’s fucked up biology, his Omega instinct, his deeply buried nature reacting. Strongly. Like never before.

A whimper escapes his trembling lips as he feels his knees quivering when he becomes aware of what he’s doing, Levi’s widening eyes and the man’s face twisting in surprise, mouth agape, a gasp escaping the Alpha’s throat, his nostrils flaring as he breathes in Erwin’s scent – thickening with a huge dose of pheromones the Omega releases. Because he can’t control himself. Can’t control his body, the faint voices of warning unheard, ignored.

More slick dribbles out of his hole, staining his boxers, and his dick throbs, the heat in his belly almost unbearable at this point already. And a part of him is aware that this is the most embarrassing, disgraceful and degrading situation he has ever been in, going into heat in the middle of the street, right in front of an Alpha that is almost as tiny as a teenager before his growth spurt. But Erwin can’t control his body. He can’t control his limbs, his foggy thoughts, the calling deep within himself, usually masked and well-hidden, his inner beast clawing its way up to the surface.

“E-Erwin…!” Levi stammers, agitated, slightly flustered, taking a step back, and Erwin realises that he’s following and he can’t control his hands grabbing the smaller Alpha’s shoulders, like a zombie reaching out to feast on a human. He can’t control the way he shoves him with his back against the car parked behind him, can’t control how he pushes himself against the shorter black-haired man next, starts rubbing himself against Levi, nuzzling his neck, his scent gland, breathing in that intoxicating fragrance coming from there; that manly, musky perfume that tickles his nose, calming and thrilling him at the same time, making thousands of little shivers sprint down his spine, making his own neck tingle, his own scent glands prickle. Making his dick throb even harder – and Erwin can’t control how he releases _another_ huge portion of his pheromones, making Levi groan deeply and grip his upper arms. Hard. 

And feeling that Alpha strength being used on him turns Erwin on even more.

And he hates it.

And he loves it.

And actually, he can’t think clearly about it at all.

It’s as if he’s drunk, a part of him knowing that what he’s doing is wrong, but doing it nonetheless. Because it feels so right at that moment, kinda funny, and so satisfying. And he’s just… He is just so horribly aroused after almost two months _without_ a period of heat. This is probably why this one feels so _strong_ , makes him act so recklessly, the sane part of Erwin ponders for a second, before it is swallowed back up by the sea of raw lust within the man. Within the Omega that he is.

“Fuck,” Levi cusses and his fingers dig even deeper into Erwin’s muscular, upper arms. Then, the world is suddenly spinning around him, and Erwin needs a second to understand that it’s because Levi is spinning _him_ around; and a surprised groan escapes his mouth as the Alpha pushes his back against the car now, having swiftly changed their positions.

There’s a salty taste lingering on Erwin’s tongue, and only when his gaze brushes over Levi’s throat – exposed due to his black dress shirt having been ripped open and tugged to the side by Erwin – he sees the patch of his own saliva on the man’s skin, and the memories of just having started to lick the Alpha’s scent gland, right above the juncture with the man’s shoulder, return to him. His face heats up at that; also because some more of the Alpha’s fragrance wafts over to him, causes more of the searing heat to spread through his body, causes him to tremble.

He wants to lick him some more. 

He wants _Levi_ to lick _him._

Everywhere. 

More slick dribbles out of his hole as he watches the Alpha’s pupils dilate when the man takes a sharp intake of air, his gaze, now almost a pure darkness, focussed on Erwin’s face. And then, Erwin’s knees give out, and he slides down onto the ground, the Alpha’s hands still gripping him tightly as the man moves into a squatting position, following Erwin down, not letting go of him, sliding to the ground alongside of him – and Erwin’s ashamed. Because he doesn’t actually _want_ the Alpha to let go of him. And he’s craving the lost full-on body contact, craving for Levi to kiss him, claim him, rub himself against him, he wants—

“Oh Lord, do you need help?” a passerby suddenly asks, running towards them, and the sweetish smell wafting over to him tells Erwin it’s another Omega, trying to help him. But—

“Fuck off!” Levi growls at them in such an intimidating fashion, with such a deep, dark voice that a huge shiver runs down Erwin’s spine and makes the stranger stop dead in his tracks, probably intimidated. And while Levi roars at that person, he doesn’t break the eye-contact with Erwin, keeps staring into the blond man’s eyes. Like a predator. Because that’s what Levi is.

A beastly predator following his instincts, lured and provoked by Erwin’s pheromones, but…

But he shouldn’t be. 

Because didn’t the contract state for Levi to take the strongest suppressants? And didn’t Hange witness the man taking them? Didn’t they write a text to Erwin, confirming that Levi was safe? 

That all happened. But then… But then why is this beautifully dangerous man’s scent increasing? Why is it infiltrating Erwin’s nostrils even more? Tickling him, filling him up, making all the little hairs on his body stand up? Why? 

And why… And why…?

“Oh God…!” Erwin moans, unable to control his mouth, as Levi’s scent intensifies further, as the petrichor becomes even more earthy and mingles with a profound fragrance of pines and a vivid lavender smell. “Oh God…!” Erwin moans again, instinctively taking a deep breath which spikes his crazy hormonal cocktail, adding to the dizziness he’s experiencing, heightening the heat in every part of his body, as if a fever was spreading on high speed, making his blood beginning to simmer in his veins; _in his dick_. Making his boxers wetter, for even more obnoxious slick leaks out of Erwin’s hole. 

Because Levi is releasing his pheromones. 

His strong, Alpha pheromones, that make Erwin pathetically _weak_. That call upon his animalistic instinct to… _mate_.

No!

NO!

He needs to tell Levi to let him go, tell the man to back off.

“Alpha…!” he gasps instead, sounding… desperate. Pleading. His fingers nearly clawing into Levi’s shoulders now, who is also still holding firmly onto the blond man as they stare into each other’s eyes, their breaths ragged and heavy, Levi’s eyes wide and as black as his outfit and hair.

“Shit!” the Alpha curses, gritting his teeth – and Erwin can practically feel the dark-haired man’s anger brushing over his skin, as if it was a liquid he was being sprayed with, sinking into his pores; just as much as he feels Levi’s lust infiltrating his very insides. “This… This shouldn’t be happening…!” Levi growls, irritated, his fingernails sinking through Erwin’s blue dress shirt, right into his skin, and the places begin to burn as the Alpha’s brows furrow. But in an intoxicating way, like a good whisky would burn your throat. 

Erwin’s enthralled. And he’s terrified. And confused. And…

_“Alpha…”_

And absolutely, shamefully aroused, each of his cells yearning for Levi’s touch, yearning for his mouth, his tongue, his teeth, the Alpha's cock, his knot…

“I took the fucking suppressants, I… What the hell…?! Fuck!” the Alpha continues to growl while his grip on Erwin tightens and Levi moves closer, his face merely centimetres apart from Erwin’s; he can feel the dark-haired man’s breath on his skin, his lips, and he knows this is wrong, that this is sinful and shameful and… 

Suddenly people are stopping on the sidewalk, and there is another, faint scent tickling Erwin’s nose. A smell of black pepper. Aggressive. Hostile. Trying to invade his petrichor-lavender-bubble.

It’s another Alpha. 

Picking up on Erwin’s Omega scent, his pheromones and…!

The beastly snarling escaping Levi’s throat sends a shiver down his spine, makes Erwin’s whole body tremble because along the sound another high dose of Levi’s pheromones is released, wafting over to Erwin like a thick cloud, engulfing him, dispersing the smell of the other Alpha completely, cutting it off – making him shake.

“Don’t you fucking dare come any closer…!” Levi growls at the other Alpha, looking over his shoulder without letting go of Erwin – and his voice is booming. Dark and commanding. Powerful and terrifying. And it sends cascades of shivers down Erwin’s back. And a huge glob of slick slides out of his Omega hole – and Erwin swears he can see Levi’s nostrils flare wide when that happens, taking in the scent of his natural lubricant, carrying even more pheromones with it. 

The other Alpha also reacts – and the man’s growl is deep and dark. And it scares Erwin. Making him want to fucking run away. But the snarl Levi releases in answer is even more abhorrent: It’s a beastly warning, a roar, with which the small Alpha springs up to his feet, Erwin’s gaze following, his body reacting with pain to the sudden loss of proximity while he watches Levi stomp over to the Alpha nearly three times his size – a man with short blond hair and hazel eyes, an edgy facial structure and taut muscles. And Erwin cannot believe what he witnesses.

“Don’t even _think_ about touching him!” Levi snarls at the giant who immediately moves to punch his black-haired rival, another Alpha let loose, presumably without any suppressants in his system. But Levi dodges the blow easily and then kicks the man so hard in the gut he whacks him against the brick wall and Erwin watches the man fall to the ground, both hands wrapped protectively around his own belly, groaning in pain. Then, Levi swiftly turns around to face him – and in the next second the Alpha grabs him again, and Erwin finds himself being pulled onto his feet, his heated Omega mind too foggy from all the arousal and shock and confusion to even process what has just really happened and what is going on right now. 

It’s as if there was a delay in his mind and he only realizes he’s being hauled into an unknown car when the doors are already closed the engine comes to life and he’s watching the driver – Levi – fumbling furiously in the glove compartment, looking for something instead of driving off immediately.

“Where the fuck is it?!” he cusses as Erwin’s mind slowly stops spinning and the Omega has a very little moment of near-clarity, fear mixing with his lust and desire as he begins to understand that he is in Levi’s car, _in an Alpha’s car_ , in the middle of his heat, constantly releasing his pheromones and triggering the Alpha to do the same, making the black-haired man lose control, and this will unmistakably lead to— “Yes!” Levi nearly screams out and Erwin, unable to move, watches as the raven-haired rips open a small carton, retrieving a white syringe. 

And Erwin knows what it is.

Mike has one in his car, Hange keeps one in their purse.

It’s an emergency pheromone blocker. Another form of suppressant, a strong one. Used in cases like these: When an Alpha, despite being on medication, loses control. A rare case, but fuck: They are in the fucking _middle_ of one, and Erwin needs to call Hange, needs to call for help, needs to get away from Levi and his intoxicating pheromones. He knows this, screams at himself innerly to grab his phone and dial his friend’s number as he watches the Alpha stick the needle into his neck, groaning as he administers the shot. “Oh, fuck….!”

But why can’t Erwin even move an inch?!

“Fuck…” Levi scoffs again, rubbing the spot of the injection. “Oh fuck, this hurts like a motherfucking bitch! Shit!” 

And suddenly, the intensity of Levi’s fragrance making Erwin insane decreases. 

Slightly. 

It’s enough to enable Erwin to breathe a little bit better.

But he still cannot move. Cursing his Omega nature that is crying out for one thing alone.

For this Alpha to look at him.

For this Alpha to touch him.

For this Alpha to fuck him.

“Shit,” Levi curses again, turning around and looking at Erwin, mouth open as his breathing is still agitated. “Erwin, I… I don’t know what’s going on… But… Shit, I’m so sorry. I-I can’t leave you in the café now. Not when… Not when you’re _in the middle of your heat_ …” he stammers, turning back around and finally steering the car onto the road. “So, I’m gonne drive you home, where you’ll be safe, and then I’m gonna call Hange and get the fuck away from you. Okay?”

Erwin can’t answer. Not properly. He just grunts.

Because despite the intensity of Levi’s absolutely stunning fragrance having decreased, with the lower number of pheromones released – with Levi even opening up all the windows at once to help in the process of getting the hormonal aphrodisiac outside – Erwin is still so fucking horny.

And he can’t calm down.

He’s terrified because of that, those faint voices of reason trying to scream at him. 

But his moment of near-clarity seems gone. And he can’t get a hold of himself. He can’t stop himself from releasing his pheromones. And he knows that his charge is so powerful that all the opened windows don’t help to get rid of them.

“Shit…” he hears Levi curse breathlessly, who is clutching the wheel and driving through the city like a maniac. 

How does he even know where he’s going?

Ah, Erwin just told him his address, he remembers. It’s another delayed memory flooding his lust-oozing mind.

And…

And he fucking hates being an Omega so much. 

Why?

Why is this happening to him?

_Why…?_

Oh God, he’s so fucking aroused, and Levi is so close now – when have they arrived? When has Levi lifted him out of his car? How is it possible that… 

“Oh God,” Erwin groans, registering that this small, strong Alpha is carrying him up the stairs to his apartment, Levi’s petrichor fragrance infiltrating his nose once more, making his freaking nipples tingle, his skin prickle, making arousal thunder in his abdomen like a storm out on the ocean. 

Making his rock-hard cock twitch and push against the confines of his wet boxers.

Because there is just so much slick. Like never before. And Levi’s vexed groan makes it obvious that the Alpha can smell it.

“The… keys…” Levi manages to utter under a lot of strain, audible in his deep voice. And Erwin wants to answer. He wants to answer and aid in the process of getting him inside of his apartment so badly. But he can’t move his mouth. All he can do is tighten his arms, looped around the super strong Alpha’s neck, who is holding him in a bridal carry despite their enormous size difference. All Erwin can do, all he _does_ , driven by his suddenly untamed, raw nature, is to move his face closer to the dark-haired man’s neck, closer to his scent gland, his mouth watering as more of that rapturing fragrance starts to fill his nose and mind, his groin reacting tremendously as his mouth is hovering directly over that devilish place from where this ravishingly beautiful scent is coming from.

And then Erwin’s mind just goes completely blank.

It’s the Omega taking over fully, voices of reason pushed into a dark pit of nothingness. 

Erwin sinks his teeth into Levi’s scent gland, the Omega inside of him howling, knowing that despite it feeling so good, this will do nothing to the Alpha, that this won’t bind the raven-haired man to him because it’s the Alpha who needs to bite his scent gland first – and the Omega inside of Erwin is howling even louder as the beast realizes that this is what it actually wants, what it screams for, what Erwin yearns for; for the Alpha to bite him. Claim him. Make him his. And this is why he can’t stop himself from sucking on the scent gland, his mouth, his saliva, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh triggering Levi to release his scent – and, finally, his pheromones again.

It’s a literal outburst. The heady scent of Levi’s lust, the lavender aroma together with testosterone spiking his natural, earthy scent, tickling Erwin’s nostrils viciously, making his blood boil, heat sizzling in his abdomen, and his rock-hard cock push against his pants, staining the denim; just like his slick, now completely soaked through his boxers, is drenching the next layer of fabric, and then… 

And then Levi groans.

He groans deeply, releases such a throaty sound, both dangerous and erotic, that it sends a thousand shivers all over Erwin’s heated body, a gasp escaping his own mouth as the Alpha’s fingers sink into his flesh and Levi whispers “...fuck…”

And then, all is lost.

The Alpha pushes Erwin against the door, still holding him, caging him now, crowding him against the dark wood, a growl escaping his mouth as Erwin, completely out of it, licks over Levi’s scent gland, can’t stop himself, the lust within him nearly driving him insane.

“ _Keys_ ,” the Alpha snarls – and his voice, as well as his scent, carry something… commanding. And Erwin has no idea why, but it’s working on him. He feels the strong urge to… _obey_. His body moving without him having to push it to do so; his hands are working without him steering them, without the blond man thinking. As if somebody else had taken over his brain, calling his limbs to action. They reach for the keys in his pocket, brushing Levi’s hard stomach pressed tightly against the Omega – the black-haired Alpha releasing another, deep, low growl, waves of power hitting Erwin, making his mind woozy as he somehow manages to insert the key into the lock, opening the door.

Levi immediately pushes it open.

Two seconds, and they are inside of Erwin’s flat, Levi kicking the entrance shut behind him with his foot, the swinging wood producing an ear-piercing thud, the keys jingling as they hit the floor, because Erwin doesn’t have the strength anymore to hold onto them as another colossal wave of Levi’s pheromones penetrates his insides, eliciting a weak, a desperate moan from the Omega.

Levi growls again. It’s feral. Dark. Enticing. Making the little hairs at the back of Erwin’s neck stand erect. Making his scent glands, hidden under the flexible but thick throat protector, sting and prickle as the Alpha carries him swiftly through his apartment, heading straight for the bedroom, as if the man knew his way around here.

Erwin doesn’t have time to think about it, gasps as he’s thrown onto his bed, his gaze finally meeting Levi’s again.

Levi, whose eyes are wide and blown. Whose pale cheeks are dusted in a deeply pink shade. Whose beautiful black hair is dishevelled. Levi, whose breath is ragged, whose scent and pheromones are streaming out unhindered, as if he hadn’t taken the suppressants. As if he hadn’t taken the emergency blocker. Levi, who is the most dazzling man Erwin has ever seen. Levi who is slowly crawling onto the bed, climbing on top of Erwin, his hands sinking into the mattress on either side of the Omega’s shoulders, Levi’s knees digging into the bedding on either side of the blond man’s hips, as he’s moving further down, his face hovering over Erwin’s now – and the proximity is unnerving, just as much as it is enticing and fulfilling and—

“ _Alpha_ …” Erwin whimpers, his body moving once again on its own accord. Or rather: Obeying yet another non-verbal command from the man with raven-black hair, a demand to come closer, and Erwin’s legs wrap around Levi’s waist, pushing the man down on top of his body, welcoming him in his arms, moaning as Levi’s right hand drives itself between his head and the pillow, rakes into his blond hair as Levi finally – finally! – claims his lips in a heated, messy, deep kiss, the Alpha’s strong pheromones eating away more at Erwin’s sanity, filling him up, every little crevice of his body.

Levi’s tongue is big. Wet. Hot. And Erwin can’t get enough of it. He can’t get enough of that deep kiss. 

His first kiss… And…

“Ugh…!” he also can’t stop himself from moaning into the connection, Levi’s hard, taut Alpha-body moving against his as the man starts to shallowly move his hips, grinding his own – _huge_ – erection against Erwin’s stomach, making Erwin release another way too big cloud of his own pheromones as his own dick pushes back against the man, making Levi’s grip on his hair and his back tighten, the left hand moved between Erwin’s body and the sheets; making the Alpha release a moan, too.

A deep moan.

A lust-filled, powerful sound, nearly shattering Erwin’s mind and body, as more slick seeps out of his hole and he begins to tremble, whining when Levi breaks the kiss to stare down at him, with those lust-filled, dark, dangerous eyes.

And then, Erwin realizes something despite the fog and heat blearing his mind.

Levi isn’t just aroused – he’s in rut. The Alpha equivalent of an Omega’s heat.

And the cloud of pheromones that hits Erwin, enveloping him wholly like a thick, warm blanket, proves this. Levi’s repeated, deep, erotic groan proves this. His deep dark eyes, practically eating Erwin up prove this. His big, hard Alpha sex pressed against Erwin’s body proves this. His heated skin, coated in a thin layer of sweat and reddish dust, proves this.

Levi’s _words_ prove this.

“I’m going to fucking breed you,” he snarls at Erwin – spreading sensual heat and lust and unquenchable desire through the blond Omega, Erwin’s faint voices of reason that have just tried to climb out of the pit they were thrown into, the voices beginning to scream at him that he’s in danger and that he should stop it, are killed off. Once and for all.

Nature takes over. The inexplicable yearning for this dark-haired man takes over. Erwin’s lust takes over as he moans, baring his throat for the Alpha, submitting to him, Levi’s powerful aura pushing into him.

“Fuck,” Levi breathes out, a guttural sound escaping his throat – and then he begins to rip Erwin’s clothes off, seemingly driven by the raw desire to lay the Omega’s skin bare. It’s hurried and impatient, the Alpha’s rut making him act reckless and desperate, the contract forgotten. Though, _what_ contract exactly? Erwin can’t remember. What a weird thought crossing his mind.

“Alpha…!” he whimpers as Levi tears his shirt to pieces, clawing at the fabric, panting wickedly as he moves between Erwin’s big legs, unbuckling his belt, tearing the damp jeans along with his wet boxers off.

“Fuck…!” Levi groans as his eyes take in the sight unfolding itself in front of him, and Erwin feels his cheeks burning when Levi brazenly stares at his groin, his hard, leaking cock, his balls and thighs covered by his slick he’s been producing since looking into Levi’s eyes for the first time. 

And then, Erwin holds his breath, for Levi starts ripping his own clothes off his body. And when he exposes himself to Erwin, when the blond man looks at the Alpha’s chiselled chest covered by black hair, his gaze following the dark trail down the washboard abs and toned abdomen, Erwin nearly comes untouched. For he’s never seen something as erotic as this. Has never been close to anyone erotic as this. Has never looked at a huge, naked, Alpha cock, the man’s length way above average, just as his girth is, the enormous, bulbous head wet with thick Alpha pre-seed, the knot at the base of Levi’s dick, now the size of a small lemon, pulsating, as the man’s length throbs.

It triggers something inside of Erwin. Makes his hole spasm, his inside clench. He finds himself releasing even more pheromones, making Levi’s whole body tremble as he breathes them in, his nostrils flaring, his beautiful lips parting to release a deep, low growl, making Erwin’s insides boil as more of Levi’s intoxicating smell engulfs him, fills him up to the brim.

“Alpha…!”

“Yes.”

That’s all Levi says before he grabs Erwin right ankle, twisting the Omega easily to lie on his side, lifting Erwin’s leg up, swingin it over his shoulder, crawling forward, between the blond man’s spread thighs, air brushing over Erwin’s wet and wide entrance begging for that Alpha cock in a frenzy, so many emotions welling and mixing in his chest he cannot even pinpoint one.

No, that’s not right.

He can.

It’s lust.

Primal, raw, lust. 

Need. 

Desperate and strong.

“Alpha…”

Levi growls – his grip on Erwin’s leg tightening as he pushes his thick cock into the wet ass crack, eliciting another pleading sound from the Omega, and Erwin feels dizzy and aroused and nervous and excited and just so fucking impatient.

“Alpha!”

Levi scoffs – and then he pushes in, the big, moist head slipping into Erwin’s hole, the shaft going up his ass with one easy push, filling his insides, pushing against his walls – against that one sweet spot so far only touched by toys, making Erwin moan out loudly, his eyes rolling back as Levi’s Alpha dick glides along his prostate, making the Omega’s own length throb wickedly, and another moan push out of Erwin’s mouth as Levi’s knot, yet unfolded, slides through his sphincter and right into him.

Their gazes meet.

Levi’s in an upright position, on his knees, resting on his haunches, his chest heaving visibly as he takes in ragged breaths as he’s staring down at Erwin, his cock filling the Omega’s ass, and Erwin’s trembling – because it feels so, so, so good…

Then, Levi begins to fuck him, the only part of the Alpha’s body moving being his pelvis. He’s bucking in fast, pulling his stiffness in and out of Erwin’s slicked-up hole, the cloud of pheromones in which the blond man is being bathed at a new high, making Erwin’s head spin and his abdomen sizzle and his cock prickle.

“Alpha…!” 

He’s drooling, hands fisting into the pillow.

_Why hasn’t anybody told him how great sex with an Alpha feels like?!_

That’s the only coherent thought his mind is able to form before turning back into goo. Before he starts releasing unhindered moans and pants, sighs, whimpers – Levi’s corresponding low song of feral desire enhancing the Omega’s lust as the man continued to… breed him, leaning back, increasing his rhythm, rubbing the most intimate parts of Erwin’s body with his solid dick, with his knot, the fingers of his left hand digging into Erwin’s hip, holding him steady.

And Erwin comes.

He comes so hard like he has never climaxed before, his mind actually going blank, his vision white for a few seconds as it all just bursts out of his body, as he empties the contents of his balls all over himself and the bed, clamping down on Levi, whose fingernails almost breach Erwin’s skin as they claw into it, with the man grunting in ecstasy before he, too, comes – and Erwin swears he can feel the hot Alpha seed passing into his channel, filling up his ass, his guts.

And it’s the most erotic thing ever experienced, making him feel all agitated and woozy and—

And it’s not the end.

His lust is not yet gone.

He’s in a frenzy. He’s totally out of control.

He feels drunk. He feels high. He feels hungover. He feels as if he can’t breathe.

He’s so aroused, and Erwin keeps falling in and out of consciousness.

He opens his eyes and he’s on his stomach and Levi’s on top of him, driving his cock into him mercilessly. Erwin closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, he’s lying on his side, and Levi pounding him from behind. When he opens his eyes after another while surfing on a wave of lust, his whole body on fire, he’s on top of Levi, and the Alpha’s hands are holding on to his hips, and the Alpha is fucking into him from underneath, and Erwin throws his head back – and he comes again.

And again, and again, and again.

He’s in a half slumber, feeling Levi’s hot body all over him. The man’s lips, teeth and tongue on his chest, his nipples, his arms, his sides, leaving a trail of kisses down his stomach and abdomen, his dick pushing into Levi’s hot and wet mouth, the man’s fingers caressing his balls. He feels Levi biting into the inside of his thighs, his fingers pushing back into his ass, stimulating his prostate – until he replaces them with his cock.

“Oh God, oh God, oh God!” Erwin hears himself panting, his voice echoing off the walls of his bedroom as he feels Levi’s knot swelling inside of him, filling him up, expanding his canal, locking the Alpha in his body – and it feels fantastic, even though a part of him briefly considers that he should hate it, but he loves it. He loves it.

No, he doesn’t.

Yes, he does.

No, he doesn’t.

Yes, he does.

He does, he does, he does.

“Alpha…!”

Levi kisses his spine, his strong hands wound around Erwin’s body from behind as he shallowly moves his hips, emptying the rest of his seed into his Omega. Breeding him. His scent exhilarating. The waves coming from the Alpha calming and arousing at the same time, filling Erwin’s chest with giddy happiness, with content. 

“Alpha…!”

He’s slipping again.

In and out of darkness. His body weak. His limbs trembling. His mind like pudding. Sweet and gooey. 

Levi’s lips are on his throat, his tongue is on his throat, the Alpha’s licking him, the wet muscle sliding over his skin, the protector, and Erwin’s scent glands tingle, ache, itch. And he wants it, he wants it so badly – for the thing to come off, for Levi’s teeth to sink into his flesh.

For the Alpha to claim him, bond with him. For Levi to make him _his_.

The Alpha releases another fit of his pheromones, along with a bone-shattering growl, piercing Erwin’s ears, piercing his insides, unleashing more desperation, more lust, more of… everything. And Erwin’s clawing at the throat protector that seems to be strangling him. 

He wants it off.

He doesn’t.

He can’t!

But he wants it off.

Off. Off. Off.

OFF!

Suddenly, he’s falling – pain and pleasure unifying, forming a brand new sphere, coating his body, his soul, and Erwin feels free, like a bird flying over a huge wall that has been keeping him caged. He flies towards the blue sky, making him think of Levi’s mesmerising eyes. He’s watching the sun set, and then he’s flying towards the moon, making him think of Levi’s wonderfully pale skin. He hears the man voice, calling his name.

“Erwin.”

He hears Levi whispering and murmuring a different thing too.

“Omega.”

A dream. It’s all a vivid dream.

A vivid, heat-induced dream, making Erwin feel absolutely relaxed, making him feel contented. Happy. 

And when he wakes up, he hears the bird of his dream sing a song of morning outside, the sunshine falling in through the blinds and Erwin blinks, trying to remember his date at the café, how he got home, who brought him home when his heat started, who—

A jolt of pain shakes him fully awake, and Erwin sits up.

His neck hurts. His throat. His scent glands. And instinctively his hand travels up to the areas in question while at the same time his gaze falls to the floor, taking in the sight of his throat protector.

Or what remains of it.

The flexible, modern material full of bite marks, some of the fabric ripped off.

 _Bitten_ off.

The lock opened, the little key still inside.

And adrenaline floods Erwin’s body as his fingers feel out something that should not be there…

“Oh no…” Erwin whispers, his legs already carrying him to the bathroom – and he almost falls down to the floor. For there is almost no strength at all in his limbs, his behind throbbing, his mind woozy, his body still on fire because of his heat and because of—

Erwin stumbles to the sink, holding on to it as he stares into the mirror, as he takes a look at his maltreated body, his chest, his arms, his neck, his throat – _and his scent glands_ – covered in bite marks, red, blue and violet.

_Bonding marks._

And he screams.

And that’s the moment Levi crashes into the bathroom, his presence undermined by a thick smell of wood, by the thick scent of petrichor, filling the room, carrying a wave of aggression, a wave of alert with it as he looks at Erwin.

“What’s wrong, Omega?” Levi demands, agitated.

Levi. Erwin’s Alpha.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of you: Thank you SO much for reading and commenting on this story! And as some of you already know: I can't keep it short. So this chapter is not the last one. I'm sorry (or not?!) :D I hope you enjoy the update, lemme know what you think and stay healthy! <3

Erwin’s world shatters. For looking at the man with raven-black hair standing in the doorway, he realises that he is bound to him now. _Forever._ To a man he hasn’t even said a single sentence to. A man whom he hasn’t even exchanged a proper greeting with. He’s bonded with a man he knows _nothing_ about, a stranger. And with that realisation come the memories of the night before, flooding Erwin’s mind like a slowly approaching but deadly tsunami – and Erwin’s eyes fill with tears.

He shudders, images of the prior hours making him feel all fuzzy. And terrified. Pictures of him and Levi tossing in the sheets, of the Alpha fucking him into the bed, of the man with those deep blue eyes knotting him, pounding and stroking him into oblivion, instead of just having a cup of coffee at the café, as agreed upon before.

He feels betrayed.

He feels angry.

He feels scared.

Erwin feels… ashamed.

He’s still naked, his exposed and maltreated body trembling as Levi’s suddenly coming closer, and Erwin starts feeling on edge. 

And strange, too.

There is raw rage welling inside of his chest, his agitated heart pumping boiling blood into his veins as his brows furrow, his besmirched mind bombarding him with more of those fresh memories, providing him with the sound of Levi’s aroused voice, the man’s groans and grunts. His smooth purrs.

_“Erwin… Omega… Fuck…”_

The blond man swallows thickly, the scent of the Alpha – _his_ Alpha – once again tickling his nose. That damned, fucking smell that got him into this situation in the first place, a situation he had never considered a possibility. A situation he had wanted to avoid on all costs. Because Erwin had never wanted to have sex with an Alpha. He had never wanted to bond with one, either. And now here he is: Stuck with the raven-haired man for the rest of his life, whose surname he doesn’t even know. Dependent on the man for the rest of his life. At the mercy of that man for the rest of his life. _Belonging_ to this man for the rest of his life.

“You…” he seethes, taking a step back as the equally naked Alpha approaches, his skin also covered by bite marks Erwin can’t even look at, the blond man’s body hitting the sink, with no more room to retreat; he’s trapped like prey. Like a bird in a cage. With no escape. Because that’s what he is now: Nothing more than a pet. Levi’s possession. His Omega. And Erwin feels humiliated. He feels degraded. He feels abased. He feels like trash. Like worthless trash. He feels caught. Imprisoned. His body betraying him, manipulated by the Alpha saliva passing into his system, changing him forever. 

Erwin feels raped.

Physically and mentally. 

For while one part of him – the angry and appalled one – wants nothing more than to punch this man into that handsome face, hard, wants to kick his balls, kick him out of his house and his life this instant, _another_ part of him wants nothing more than for the Alpha to come closer, take him into his arms, that rich petrichor smell making him compliant and needy.

Because he’s an Omega. A bonded Omega. His manipulated nature making Erwin feel and want all these things that he, as a reasonable human being, wouldn’t want. Doesn’t want. 

And yet, he _does_.

Because he’s an Omega, and no matter how hard he tries to battle his nature, he won’t succeed. 

It’s this helplessness that makes him feel so… So fucking exasperated. A helplessness he’s always feared. A helplessness he’s always cursed. A helplessness that Levi exploited.

“You fucking bastard!” Erwin’s fuming, bristling as those vicious words leave his throat. And the fact that his Omega side actually feels _hurt_ by the insult thrown at his Alpha, angers him even more. That’s why he continues, can’t stop himself. “You sick fuck! You disgusting pig!” he seethes at Levi, and the words and the anger thrown towards his Alpha make him feel horrible. It’s frustrating! “You son of a bitch! You despicable rat! You—”

“Oi!” Levi’s loud and commanding voice cuts him off, makes the next words supposed to be hurled at the Alpha – _his_ Alpha – stick in Erwin’s throat instead, be swallowed down, the Omega closing his mouth as if being forced to do so. “Erwin,” the Alpha adds, a little bit softer now, and Levi’s sounding… concerned. “You need to stop,” he tells him seriously, serenely, “you need to calm down…”

And only then does Erwin register how much he’s shaking, how many tears of sheer anger are streaming down his cheeks, how his knees are quivering and how hard he is clutching the sink. How shaken he is. How painful this whole ordeal truly is.

Everything has changed. His life has been turned upside down within just a few hours, not even a whole day. He belongs to Levi now. Emotionally, physically – legally. 

And it’s… It’s so god damned frustrating…! And it hurts! Just as much as it hurts to scream at his Alpha. Just as much as it hurts fighting the urge to throw himself into the unknown man’s arms. The man who will be a part of Erwin’s life for the rest of it. Erwin feels mortified. He feels utterly hurt. Enraged. All of it. And he feels weak. Scared. He longs for Levi to—

The man’s coming closer, taking Erwin’s fluffy bathrobe from the hanger next to the door, and Erwin can’t move. He can’t speak. The obedient Omega called to quiet down by his Alpha through Levi’s words, his scent, those invisible waves he’s giving off; Erwin can feel them even better now.

_It’s their bond._

“Here,” Levi mumbles, holding out the robe to Erwin, and he reacts as if on instinct, tearing the fabric out of the Alpha’s hand, draping it over his body, glad to cover his nakedness that made him feel even more vulnerable, watching the stranger take one of the big towels to wrap it around his waist, covering his groin, too. “Erwin,” he then addresses the shivering Omega, Erwin’s hands digging into the thick robe shielding his body from his Alpha’s gaze, “we need to talk.”

“N-N-No!” Erwin manages to spit back, fighting his instinct of obedience towards his Alpha.

Levi sighs. A sound that touches Erwin on many levels. And he hates it. “Erwin…”

“G-G-Get out!” the blond succeeds to hiss at the black-haired man, without looking at him. Because he’s too scared of what he might say and do when staring into those deep blue eyes. Too afraid of his Omega side complying, following. Too angry to talk to the man who fucked up his whole life. “F-Fuck off.”

There’s a moment of silence, a moment in which Erwin tenses up completely, arms wrapped around his own form as if to protect himself against that pull, the _sensation_ of a pull coming from the Alpha. His Alpha.

“Trust me,” Levi then murmurs lowly, “you don’t want me to go.”

“I do!” Erwin screams, more tears forming in his eyes, a circumstance he hates, for he _never_ cries, his whole body flinching, as if afraid of his own loud voice. “F-Fuck off! G-Get out!” he screams – torturing himself. “Leave me alone!” 

Because in reality he _doesn’t_ want Levi to leave, every fibre of his being fighting the words just uttered, fighting his indignant side; because deep down Erwin, even severed from his Omega nature – if that is even possible in any way – knows that no Omega _should_ be on his own directly after bonding. He knows this, and yet—

“You’d be hurting a lot more than me, if I went and left you now,” Levi confirms Erwin’s thoughts, simple biology taught in elementary school.

And Omega needs his Alpha. The demand to be with him or her directly after bonding is ever so strong, the Omega seeking protection from his mate, comfort, sex, solidifying the bond. Means to deepen the connection, for the Alpha’s scent to sink into every pore of their partner, mark them, claim them fully. For their link to thrive, ripen, corroborate. A separation leading to physical as well as emotional distress for the Omega. And Erwin remembers the worst case scenarios he was presented with during class; a nervous breakdown, post bond depression, cardiovascular problems alongside a hospital admission; depressions leading to suicidal tendencies if completely abandoned by their partner. While an Alpha would suffer much milder symptoms in any case.

Because life is cruel and unfair.

“Leave,” he repeats nonetheless, battling for composure, focussing his gaze on the tiles of his bathroom. That really isn’t his anymore. Because everything belonging to him, now belongs to Levi. Because _Erwin_ belongs to Levi. And he hates it so fucking much. So fucking much…!

“No,” his Alpha answers, not even moving an inch, and Erwin lets out an indignant huff, fingers digging deeper into the robe, the flesh underneath.

He’s angry. 

But he’s also relieved.

_So relieved._

And that’s what makes him even angrier.

“I said: Get out!” he repeats, his voice louder. He screams at Levi. At his Alpha. And then, it hits him: That inexorable wave of annoyance wafting over him, touching his core, making him shiver and flinch in surprise and mild terror. It’s Levi’s emotions, transferred on to Erwin by their link. Their bond. And it’s somewhat terrifying, cutting off the air to breathe for a second. And next to anger, there is something else Erwin experiences, something else his Alpha feels and that’s slowly sinking into Erwin’s brain: It’s concern and… empathy. 

“I understand that you are angry,” Levi continues to talk to him, the wave of annoyance fading out, as he’s coming to a stop right in front of Erwin, merely a few centimetres of space left between them, and Erwin swears he can feel Levi’s warmth on his skin, pushing through the fabric of the bathrobe. He swears Levi’s scent increases tenfold, invading his nostrils – unfolding its deeply embedded magic; calming Erwin down slowly, decreasing the wild rhythm in which the Omega’s heart is beating, aiding in relaxing the tense muscles. 

And even if it’s just a little bit: It helps.

Even though Erwin doesn’t _want_ it to help.

He can’t stop it, though.

Not right now.

“But I’m not leaving,” Levi finishes his sentence. “And there’s nothing you can about that.”

That’s the line that makes Erwin lose it again. Because it’s despicable and on-point: Because as a weak, bonded Omega there truly is _nothing_ that he _can_ do when it comes to his Alpha’s will; he’s forced to follow, forced to obey, forced to submit. And that goes against everything defining Erwin’s character, his beliefs, his mindset. His yearning to be free and independent.

Which he isn’t anymore. Never will be again.

That’s what makes Erwin’s resolve to fight his nature burn up like a torch soaked in alcohol. It’s hard, but he’s been through enough tough situations in his life. Deep down, he’s a soldier, battling his instincts and all the obstacles that come with it as well as with his condition since his early teens.

Summoning up all his willpower, pushing against that inner Omega wall of his, breaking through it like an armoured Titan, pushing through the pain the rebellion against his nature brings, he charges at Levi, his big fist hitting the man’s face, making Levi stumble back. Then, Erwin delivers a hard kick to the man’s knee, making the Alpha lose balance. Another kick sends Levi down to the floor, and Erwin mounts him, his big knees planted to either side of Levi’s torso, hovers over him – and it’s too easy.

Because staring down at Levi, who isn’t moving an inch, just gazing right back into Erwin’s eyes, the blond Omega realises that the Alpha… isn’t fighting back.

There isn’t any hostility, any anger radiating off the Alpha, either. All Levi does is look at Erwin – and the blond man feels the pity this man harbours for him. And it irritates him even more.

“Fight back!” he yells at him, bringing his fist down onto Levi’s face again. But Levi does nothing. “Fight back!” Erwin yells again, using his other fist on Levi’s other cheek. But Levi still does nothing. At least, nothing physical. For he calmly states:

“I would never hurt my Omega.”

And that just makes Erwin snap _again_. Because this statement is so… _condescending_. 

“As if you could fucking hurt me!” the blond man, trained, muscled, strong, hisses – and then lets loose. Even though it’s eating him up from the inside, hurting his Alpha being the complete opposite of what his body and soul want to do; but this is all the more reason for Erwin to go through with it, push the pain further away, fight it, banishing it, swinging his fists to hit Levi’s face once more. “Don’t you fucking look down on me! Just because I’m an Omega! Do you really think I wouldn’t be able to fight you for real? Just because you’re an Alpha?! Don’t insult me!” he seethes through his gritted teeth, his fist once more pounding into Levi’s face who still isn’t doing anything; he just lets it happen. And it’s unnerving. 

“You son of a filthy whore – take your obnoxious Alpha pride and stick it up your arse!” Erwin bellows. “Fight back! Fight me! You Alpha-asshole! Thinking you’re better than me – thinking that you’re so tough and mighty just because I’m an Omega; _fight me_!” he screams, his mind blank, attacking someone for the first time in his life like that, his fist once again swinging through the air when suddenly, a thick and dark, an utterly heavy wave of ire hits him, shattering his inside; and Levi stops Erwin’s fist with his own hand, glaring at him, growling at him.

And that’s the moment Erwin’s strength leaves him, his muscles going limp, as the Alpha grabs his other hand and twists Erwin around with eerie ease, Levi’s thick scent inundating him, lulling him in, incapacitating the blond Omega.

He’s on his back now, Levi holding both of his wrists in his hands. “You need to calm down,” is what he breathes out, releasing more of his scent, and Erwin wants to continue fighting, wants to keep up the battle against himself, against Levi.

But he can’t.

Because he’s just an Omega. Freshly mated, freshly bonded, and every fibre of his being screams for his Alpha, his body, his scent, his voice.

“Levi…” he hears himself whimpering, and in the next second, Levi moves to sit in a cross-legged position on the floor, pulling Erwin into his lap, wrapping his arms around the man, and Erwin isn’t able to fight the urge to do the same: wrap his arms around his Alpha, press his face against the man’s throat to inhale as much of his scent as possible.

A single tear rolls down his cheek as his body is trying to calm down.

“I hate you,” Erwin whispers, the words costing him so much strength, his Omega being protesting inside of him vehemently. “You ruined my fucking life!”

Levi sighs, and then he says: “What I did is unforgivable, and I’m sorry.” And Erwin doesn’t know how to feel about that. How to feel about those tender waves radiating from the Alpha, showcasing him that what the black-haired man says is… true. “But I couldn’t do anything against your strong pheromones,” he adds, and Erwin runs cold.

For he remembers.

He remembers how he went into heat immediately upon seeing the Alpha, _his_ Alpha. He remembers how there was nothing he could do about it. How strange and unusual his body’s reaction was, going into estrus just like that, without any warning period like he normally has, even if it is much shorter than a regular Omega’s.

“You practically charged at me, Erwin…” Levi murmurs.

And Erwin remembers.

How he couldn’t stop himself from touching the man. How he grabbed him. How he pushed him against that car. How he started licking Levi’s scent gland – and he feels terrified. And ashamed. Erwin’s mortified, yet again.

“And I have no idea what happened,” the man continues, his hands slowly stroking Erwin’s back. And as much as the blond hates it, he embraces it, longs for it, enjoys it. And it’s just so fucking confusing. “I took the suppressants just an hour before we met, just like we agreed. I use them a lot, I have to. Because of my job. Erwin, I work with Omegas _everyday_ ,” he says – and an intense shiver runs down Erwin’s spine. “And those suppressants _always_ work on me.” 

Erwin’s heart starts beating faster. He’s unable to speak. 

“I have absolutely no idea why I lost control, what made me go into rut,” Levi sighs. “Even the emergency suppressant seemed to have no effect on me suddenly. Or… Only a _temporary_ one when it should have made me go cold for _24 hours_. I…” he sighs again, his hands stopping their tender caresses, and an involuntary, protesting whine escapes Erwin’s throat.

And he’s terrified.

“I’m sorry,” Levi whispers, recommencing his administrations, making Erwin feel at ease.

And making him hate himself, his nature, even more.

“I know you think poorly of me and after what happened I cannot even blame you,” Levi goes on to explain calmly, his voice full of… regret. And compassion. The corresponding waves radiating off his body, along his scent. It’s strange. And nice. And… “But I need you to understand that this was never my intention. I never wanted to bond with an Omega,” Levi states, and those words to wondrous things to Erwin.

They make his blood run cold. They pique his interest. They fuel his anger. All at once.

But another portion of Levi’s calming scent pushes all of those emotions into oblivion, and all that Erwin can do is listen to his Alpha’s voice.

“My mother is an Omega,” Levi tells him. “She was forced to bond with her cousin because my grandfather and other idiots of my family believed that Ackermans should only mate with their own, keep the bloodline intact. They shunned and banned my uncle – who is also an Omega – because he wanted to protect his sister, and himself from being paired with someone he didn’t want to be with, rebelling. From the moment I was born, I knew that life was hard for an Omega. My mother fled the family after my father died in an accident when I was only three, raised me by herself with the help of my uncle.” There’s a short pause before Levi goes on. “I respect Omegas, Erwin. I fight for them everyday,” he adds, and Erwin’s heart is beating steadily in his chest, Levi’s hands warm and soft on his body as he keeps breathing in that wonderful scent coming from his Alpha’s warm neck.

“I don’t know what Hange told you: But I’m a lawyer, too,” Levi explains, suddenly lifting Erwin up from the ground, with terrifying ease, carrying him out of the bathroom and into the living room, and Erwin can’t look his Alpha in the eyes, presses his face further against his warm and beautifully scented throat instead.

Levi sits down at the couch, keeping Erwin on his lap, and their size difference is so ridiculous Erwin ponders, as his body pushes Levi’s deep into the upholstery.

But he can’t let go. Doesn’t _want_ to let go.

“I work in Omega rights,” Levi then adds – and Erwin’s heart skips a beat. “And I hate the fact that bonding equals slavery, especially on a legal level. It’s despicable, I know, and that’s what me and my partners – Farlan, Isabel, Petra, Olou, Gunther and Eld – are trying to change. It’s about freedom and safety. We represent all different kinds of Omegas, mostly against Alphas, but even their own families, preventing forced bondings, helping with workplace related issues and… This is also why I _never_ intended to bond with an Omega. Especially not the way that I…. that I bonded with you.” Levi’s voice trails off and Erwin can hear his Alpha swallowing thickly.

“I’m extremely ashamed,” Levi admits, releasing a deep sigh. “And trust me: I wish I could turn back time and… undo it. But I can’t.”

Erwin whimpers. Because his Alpha somewhat denying him, wishing their bond didn’t happen, hurts.

“Shhh,” Levi coos, one of his hands sliding up Erwin’s neck and into his hair, “I won’t leave you. You’re my responsibility now, and I will take care of you from now on. It’s my duty as your Alpha. These are the consequences of my actions, and I am not a man who runs away from his duties.”

Levi’s words are soothing. And at the same time, they are appaling.

“I… We… We don’t even _know_ each other!” the blond hears himself whimpering, and Levi hums. “We don’t even know… I don’t even know, if I _like_ you!”

“You won’t have to _like_ me,” Levi whispers, and a cold shiver runs down Erwin’s spine. “You just have to _accept_ me as your Alpha, just the way I have to accept _you_ as my Omega. Because, frankly speaking: We don’t have another choice, Erwin.”

Another cold shiver runs down the blond man’s spine at those words. Those true words. Because the truth always hurts, doesn’t it? He swallows thickly, tears burning in his eyes, and Erwin hates himself for being so weak in front of this guy.

His Alpha.

Unable to let go of him.

Even though he feels nothing but contempt.

Even though he knows, he really knows Levi tried to resist.

But then…

“Why didn’t you call Hange?” Erwin accuses the man, gritting his teeth, yet still unable to let go off him. “When I went into heat: Why didn’t you call my friend? Like agreed on? By contract?!”

“Because I needed to get you somewhere safe immediately!” Levi yells out – scoffing afterwards, his whole body tensing up in the process, a wave of annoyance once more hitting Erwin during the short outburst. “I’m sorry,” he immediately apologizes, sighing, calming vibes reaching his Omega now as the Alpha releases more of his scent, relaxing his and thus Erwin’s muscles again. “There… There was another Alpha, ready to jump you, and I… I really just wanted to get you home as fast as possible, and I had every intention of leaving straight away, please believe me. But then… Then you _bit_ me…”

Oh God.

Erwin remembers.

He remembers…

“And then the effect of the emergency suppressant was… It was _gone_ , Erwin. As if I had _never_ administered it in the first place, I… I cannot explain what happened. I immediately went into rut and then… I really _tried_ to fight it, you have to believe me. But… I couldn’t. I failed you. I broke the contract, and I feel like scum, I really do, I…” Levi swallows thickly, his fingers exerting a little bit more pressure onto Erwin’s back. “I really didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean to have sex with you, and I most certainly didn’t mean to… bite you. Bond with you. But I was too weak and too far gone to stop you from opening your throat protector.”

Erwin freezes.

And that’s when the memory hits him.

It’s blurred, but sharp enough for him to relive it. How he _begged_ Levi to bite him. How he riled the Alpha up with his constant streak of pheromones and his pleading, his moaning. How he tried to rip the protector off with his bare hands – and how he eventually managed to get the key out of the nightstand. 

How he unlocked the thing himself.

How he let Levi bite him. Over and over again.

“Oh God…” he sobs.

Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong on their “date”. It’s like a cluster of worst case scenarios, the whole row of events seemingly too unreal to happen in reality. And yet here they are.

“I’m sorry,” Levi repeats. And Erwin feels… confused. So bloody confused… “I don’t know whether this helps you, but… I’m scared too, you know…” Levi whispers, and that just confuses Erwin even more and he hates the warmth that starts spreading in his chest, while at the same time a cold shiver runs down his spine.

Because the gravity of the situation starts to sink into his brain only now. That, as Levi said, there truly isn’t _anything_ he can do to change their situation, undo the bond. It’s an unbreakable connection, not even able to be severed by death. 

“I hate you…” Erwin whispers, unable to digest all the information given to him by the Alpha. His mind wanting to ponder about his, the man’s background, his connection to Omegas, but he can’t. His fingers are digging deeper into Levi’s flesh. Out of rage and despair. But also because he just can’t let Levi go, and there’s a burning so intense in the pit of his stomach, spreading into his groin and every other part of his body, that is making his head feel so horrifically fuzzy.

Because he’s still in heat. 

And his Omega state is acting up again. And…

“Erwin…” Levi murmurs.

“Alpha…” the blond hears himself moaning in response, unable to grasp the thought resting in the palm of his hand just a minute ago, now slipping through his metaphorical fingers like sand at the beach. “Alpha…”

“Yes. I got you. I’m… _I’m sorry…_ ”

It’s as if he’s watching himself, his soul leaving his body and floating over his shell of flesh and bones, unable to utter a word, inapt of controlling his actions, merely observing how the bathrobe hits the floor, how he is the one to shed it, pulling the towel off his Alpha’s body next, capturing how he spreads his legs for the dark-haired man again, how Levi’s fingernails push into the flesh around his hips as he fucks into him with his thick, Alpha cock, over and over again. 

On that couch. On the floor next to it. Bending Erwin over the coffee table. Carrying him back to the bed to pound him into the mattress. Again, and again, again. pulling orgasm after orgasm out of Erwin’s Omega body, flesh and soul suddenly reunited as Erwin takes in his Alphas calming, enticing, arousing scent, fisting the sheets as Levi takes him from behind, making him moan, a tidal wave of heat pouring over his body, his lust and the interwoven helplessness rendering Erwin unable to think about anything but his next release, yearning for more and more and more…

“Ugh, fuck…!” Levi roars with deep, drunken need, his scruffy face pressed against Erwin’s back as they’re on their sides now and he’s thrusting into his Omega with full force, pulling desperate and loud and shameful moans from Erwin’s throat, sounds he cannot stop, doesn’t even have to strength to force himself to stop – and then the blond feels his Alpha’s cock pulsate inside of him, spilling the thick semen inside of his channel, feels it growing, the knot at the base of Levi’s length enlarging like a balloon, stuffing his hole, pressing against his prostate like a hard toy, making Erwin see stars as his eyes roll back and he experiences a harsh orgasm ripping through him.

Blissful, enticing, oh-so needed release, heightened by the fact that his and Levi’s body are now locked together, his Alpha being stuck inside of him, being a part of Erwin.

All horrible desires stemming from Erwin’s nature.

But he’s not in the right state of mind to dwell on his despair, his disgust and his rage. Actually, his mind is blank, or nearly so. The only thing he can, the only thing he wants to focus on being Levi. His Alpha. Their connection – now also physical next to their emotional and mental connection.

Levi’s scent engulfs him yet again as the Alpha’s seed keeps passing into his body, Levi’s hairy arms wound tightly around Erwin’s body, pressing him back against his chest, the dark and moist hair on there tickling the blond Omega’s back in a soothing fashion.

“Alpha…” it once again pours out of his mouth, a heavenly sigh to which Levi responds in a similar fashion, his embrace tightening.

“Omega…” he whispers, his breath a searing wind on Erwin’s spine as the blond man’s dick finally starts spurting his come all over his own skin and the bedding.

And it’s wonderful. Oh, so wonderful, and peaceful, and perfect and comforting.

Until it isn’t.

Because suddenly, Erwin wakes up, asking himself when he fell asleep in the first second, only to jolt fully awake in the next one as reality kicks in and he feels that warm, hard, hairy body pressed against his back, feels the stranger’s arms still wrapped around his form tightly, feels Levi’s breath caressing his skin, feels the Alpha – his Alpha – spooning him.

Then, it’s all back.

Everything.

A clear moment during his heat, one of the very few and Erwin—

His body flinches as he hears the front door being thrown open without any warning, his heartbeat increasing instantly; and in the next second he feels a monstrous wave of danger and anger.

It’s coming from his Alpha. 

Levi’s scent thickening, laced with a new element: burning charcoal, the smell of tar, a faint element of petrol – Erwin can’t grasp it. Doesn’t have the time to grasp it as he hears more than just one set of heavy footsteps thundering through his apartment and Levi’s whole body tenses before the Alpha suddenly moves, literally jumping out of bed, dashing towards the door; and that’s the moment Erwin – instinctively turning to stare at the entrance to his bedroom, to stare at his Alpha – hears those familiar voices.

“Erwin?!” Mike’s deep, baritone voice echoes of the walls.

“Erwin!” Hange’s equally loud and concerned voice follows, and Erwin’s pulse is skyrocketing because they are coming closer, and he wants to stop them from entering the bedroom, wants to scream at them to get the fuck out, embarrassed, agitated – fuck, he was supposed to call Hange after his date to confirm that everything had gone okay and he didn’t, how could he?!?! – and he doesn’t want them to see the naked Alpha in his bedroom – _his_ naked Alpha–, doesn’t want them to see the bite marks on his own skin as he’s hiding under the covers of his bed, ashamed, disgraced, bonded. He—

“Erwin! What the—!?” 

It’s too late. 

Mike’s in the room. 

Staring at Levi, staring back at him, his Alpha’s body visibly tensed, a low but deep and threatening growl escaping the dark-haired man’s mouth, the man transformed into a territorial beast within the blink of an eye. And how could he not? For another Alpha has just entered his Omega’s bedroom, his Omega’s space who is in fucking _heat,_ and with whom he has just _bonded_ , the vile nature overthrowing any piece of reason left within the man with raven-hair; and actually, it’s not only one Alpha entering, but _two_ , because only a second later Hange joins the bearded giant, freezing in place, staring at Levi and then back at Erwin, at their friend’s exposed neck, at Erwin’s fucking bonding mark, the outline of Levi’s teeth forever imprinted on his throat, and Erwin wants to fucking scream, he wants to hide, to run.

But he can’t utter a sound.

He can’t move an inch.

He’s frozen in place.

Until he isn’t.

It all happens so fast and yet at the same time it seems to be unfolding in slow motion. Hange’s brows furrowing, as do Mike’s, and Erwin hears the blond giant release a growl of anger after taking in the sight, after sniffing the air, fuelled with sweat, pheromones at their peak, so intense right now even outsiders can smell them directly after bonding, the process still ongoing with Levi’s and Erwin’s incessant mating, anger becoming visible on both of his friend's faces, anger directed towards Levi, who is standing in front of them, naked, in Erwin’s bedroom, his stance that of a warrior ready to charge forward. 

But he isn’t the one to do that.

Because Hange does. 

They are even quicker than Mike who’s beginning to move forward, too, the lawyer with the messy hair rushing forward first, straight towards Levi, fist raised in the air, releasing a blood-curdling, vicious scream as they move into the punch – and that’s the moment Erwin’s body awakes, his nature – or whatever it is that the blond man experiences – activating each muscle, each limb, making him dash forward, making him scream – “No!” – as he throws himself between his dear friend and his Alpha, fear, anger and panic mixing into an explosive concoction and then…

And then Hange’s fist crashes into his face, with so much force, Erwin’s head snaps back, with so much power it knocks the air out of his lungs, knocks him down onto the ground – and everything goes dark; Hange’s and Levi’s panicked outcry being the last things Erwin hears before he falls unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your beautiful comments! <3 You really make my day! I hope you enjoy the update!  
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Erwin has no idea how long he’s out. The only thing he is sure of is the monumental pain nearly numbing half of his face that is suddenly pulling him out of the darkness. And when he begins to stir – reality slowly seeping into his mind – and his eyes, heavy as lead, begin to flutter open slowly, he hears a familiar, a soothing, a calming voice right next to him.

“Hey… Are you okay?”

It’s his Alpha’s voice.

_Levi’s_ voice.

And Erwin’s eyes fly open.

He’s in bed, on his back, his naked, bitten body covered by the duvet. Levi is right next to him, merely centimetres separating them. The Alpha’s laying on his side, head propped up on his elbow, gazing at Erwin with a calm expression, Levi’s nice petrichor smell immediately filling Erwin’s nostrils, adding to the man’s placid and soft aura. 

Erwin blinks, the latest memories swimming up to the surface of the unruly sea in his head. “Hange…” he whispers hoarsely, his hand instinctively touching his swollen cheek.

“...is terribly sorry about what happened and I think they bombarded your phone with at least a thousand apologies.”

Erwin blinks again, now turning his head fully to look at Levi, every part of his body and mind finally fully awake. That’s when he realises that Levi has… a black eye. “...that was also Hange,” the Alpha offers the explanation, unasked. And Erwin… Erwin feels a whole bunch of contrasting things. 

He’s absolutely delighted to see the Alpha hurt, while he is also petrified because he feels so bad for Levi, and he’s angry that his mate got beaten. Then again, he just wants to laugh about Levi, make fun of him while praising Hange for their boisterous character and their untamed power, while he also wants to call his friend and haul obscenities at them for treating his Alpha like that.

He also wants to throw obscenities at _himself_ , because why on earth did he jump between them, trying to… _shield_ Levi from the blow…?

It’s truly confusing. And mortifying and—

“Where are they?” Erwin manages to ask, his whole body suddenly feeling so weak even speaking is a hard thing to accomplish. “...Hange and.... M-Mike?”

Levi sighs. “Home, waiting for you to call them. I managed to kick them out with the help of their Omegas after Hange punched me. I don’t blame them, even though they were the one who suggested I should go out with you and got us into the initial situation in the first place, but... I totally understand where they are coming from, feeling the need to protect you, but…”

They had to go. Erwin knows. 

For there is nothing worse than another Alpha in the proximity of a freshly claimed Omega mate. Erwin knows. It’s simple biology, after all. That vile, cursed, genetic concoction. That intoxicating potion that makes him feel all those strange things towards Levi and his friends; because Erwin is glad that they are gone. And not only because he feels ashamed of having let his guard down like that, having been claimed by Levi within merely just a few hours, merely a few minutes of their premiere meeting. No. It’s also because he feels the deep urge to be alone with his Alpha. He doesn’t want to _share_ him.

And there’s another thing: For now, it isn’t Hange’s business to protect Erwin anymore. 

Because it’s _Levi’s_.

Erwin flinches slightly as Levi suddenly touches his forehead softly with his hand. “You have a fever,” he states calmly, and Erwin’s eyes close again, the touch of his Alpha riling him up while also feeling oh-so wonderful. 

It’s a turmoil of emotions. Everything.

“It’s probably because of your heat,” Levi states quietly and Erwin merely manages a confirming grunt, hating himself because he’s glad that the dark-haired man is by his side. “You should sleep some more.”

“B-But H-Hange…” the blond protests faintly.

“I will let them know you’re sleeping and that you’ll get in touch with them later. Sleep, Erwin,” Levi murmurs, adjusting the duvet around his Omega’s body, draping a cool, wet cloth over Erwin’s forehead too. “Sleep…”

And even if Erwin would want to fight the urge to listen to his Alpha, he can’t; because he is so weak. All the rotten, sexual activities, paired with his extreme emotions, the whole ordeal, plus another stage of his horrific heat having exhausted him so much, he falls asleep within just a few seconds.

This time, it’s hunger that wakes him up again. Or maybe it’s the smell of food that induces the hunger that, in turn, pulls Erwin out of his dreamless, feverish slumber, and when he opens his eyes, Levi is sitting on the bed, holding a bowl of soup in his hands. “You need to eat,” he states, and it’s the first thing Erwin actually totally agrees on with the Alpha, even though he hates himself for that. And for the fact that he doesn’t have the strength to even sit up, and Levi starts to feed him, as if he was some kid, but…

He really needs to eat. Doesn’t remember when the last time was that he fed himself. Doesn’t know how many hours have passed. 

And the soup is delicious.

He falls back asleep right after. And he sleeps for a long period. Erwin’s only awake for short passages of time in which Levi feeds him something or gives him meds, or simply lies next to him, his calming scent and the corresponding, soothing waves wafting over from the Alpha, helping the fever and headache to subside.

And then, the fever is gone. And when Erwin opens his eyes, he still feels a bit groggy, but not as powerless as he’s felt before. He can move, stretches his limbs, makes his bones crack – and when he turns his head to the side, he finds Levi sleeping right next to him.

And it’s all back. 

Sharp and clear.

The new reality. Erwin’s new life. And he bites his tongue to stifle a frustrated, terrified groan.

Carefully, he slips out of bed, trying not to wake the Alpha. He finds his phone in the kitchen, and when he picks it up and reads the date, he’s horrified. Because a bloody week has passed since his “date” with Levi. A fucking _week_.

His heart pounding heavily in his chest, Erwin makes himself a tea, reading all the messages sent from Hange, Mike, Moblit, Nanaba, Armin – his father even. And Erwin feels another wicked mix of emotions chasing through his chest. And he has no idea how to respond to the almighty questions of “how did this happen”? He can’t even answer if he is “all right”. Because one part of him screams NO while the other one roars YES. It’s…

It’s devastating. 

And everything is different.

And looking at the messages from his friends and family totally overwhelms Erwin, and he feels his head beginning to swim again, and his legs carry him to the living room, towards the couch; because there is no way he’d voluntarily lie down in his bed, in which _that Alpha_ is sleeping. And it’s not even _his_ bed anymore, is it? Because everything belongs to that Alpha prick and…

Erwin really needs to sleep some more. And so he does. Falling back into the darkness within minutes, the weight of reality pushing him into the blackness where he doesn’t have to think or act, where he can just _exist_ on a different level.

Until a heavy pain in his chest jolts him right back into reality.

It feels as if a big rock has fallen down on him, trying to push through his flesh and bones. It feels as if someone was trying to literally rip his heart out of his chest. With sharp claws. And Erwin’s panicking, because… Is this a heart attack? Is he having a heart attack? And… And where the fuck… Where the fuck is…?

“Levi?” he calls out, now desperate for his Alpha to be near him, and Levi has been there each time Erwin’s awoken, so why isn’t he next to him _now_? Where the fuck is he? Where the hell is his Alpha? Why can’t he smell him? Why can’t he feel him? Oh God, _where in the fucking hell is his Alpha?!_

Erwin can’t stand up. It’s as if his whole body has been covered by a layer of heavy steel. He can barely move. But all of his instincts are telling him to get up, to look for him; for Levi. _For his Alpha_. 

“Levi?!” he calls out again – nothing. And panic begins to rule Erwin’s emotional world as he falls down the couch onto the ground and begins to crawl towards the hall, anxiety kicking in like a drug, because…

Has Levi left him now?

He _has_ , hasn’t he?

Abandoned him in the middle of their bonding. Fed up with how long Erwin’s heat lasts, the second part not even enjoyable for the Alpha because he can’t fuck his Omega. So he’s had enough, hasn’t he?

Levi’s words ring in Erwin’s ears.

_“I won’t leave you. You’re my responsibility now, and I will take care of you from now on. It’s my duty as your Alpha. These are the consequences of my actions, and I am not a man who runs away from his duties.”_

Was this just bullshit? Did Levi just say these things to calm Erwin down? Make him pliant? To just have more sex with him? It wouldn’t be the first time for an Alpha prick to abandon their Omega mate. Maybe it was just all lies? Maybe Levi being a fucking Omega lawyer was also just bullcrap? To lull Erwin in? Was _all_ of it just a lie? An obnoxious lie, and now Levi was gone and Erwin would fucking die on his (or not his) own floor?

It hurts. The heaviness in his chest. It hurts so bad. And it feels as if someone was injecting icy water into Erwins veins, like his body was freezing while being shattered, and it—

Suddenly, a very faint waft of petrichor and leather reaches Erwin’s nose. And at that, a loud and desperate whine breaks out of his throat; and just a few moments later, he feels it: a monstrous wave of regret, panic, softness, warmth as well as concern washing over him. And then the door to his apartment slams open and then shut again, and within not even three seconds, Levi is on the floor, on his knees, right next to Erwin, his scent thickening, embracing Erwin, just like the Alpha does physically. Wrapping his arms around his Omega, pulling him against his smaller body. And once more Erwin cannot stop himself from hugging Levi back, nuzzling his Alpha’s neck, Levi’s odour the only medicine that’s working on his current condition. Making the pain and coldness go away. He can’t stop himself, he just can’t…!

“I’m so sorry,” Levi breathes out, tightening his hold on Erwin, hugging him tighter. “I thought it would be fine,” he explains, his scent snaking all over Erwin like a warm, comforting blanket, and even though somewhere deep inside of him Erwin is still pissed at the guy, he revels in his embrace. Needs it. Needs his Alpha in his near proximity. “I just went downstairs,” Levi explains, carding his hand through Erwin’s hair, the Omega’s eyes falling shut again. “Isabel brought me a change of clothes. I’m not gonna leave again, though. I’m sorry. It’s… God, I didn’t think this bonding would be so intense, but then _everything_ has been intense since the first moment I met you. I’m sorry. My assessment was off. I shouldn’t have gone downstairs. Next time I will have Isabel come up, instead. I’m sorry, Erwin.”

Erwin can’t speak, he just needs to breathe in this enticing fragrance, his new drug, bringing him down, grounding him, making him feel good on so many levels. And he can’t believe it, but he actually falls asleep again. Right there, in his Alpha’s embrace, only a faint voice, distant and distorted, complaining about how affected Erwin is by his connection to the man, to his Alpha, their bond, his Omega nature betraying his beliefs. 

Hours later, he wakes up in his bed. And it’s the first moment he doesn’t feel weak, or impaired in any other way.

His heat is finally over.

And he shudders when the door to his bedroom opens and he lays his eyes on Levi, the black eye turned to a light violet outline around his orb. 

“How are you?” he asks him, and Erwin swallows, sitting up to lean back against the headboard. He doesn’t know how to answer, and Levi’s gaze focussed on him makes him feel agitated. Among so many other strange things. “...are you feeling better?” Levi tries again in a calm voice, and Erwin nods. Then, there’s silence between again, and Erwin’s staring at his own hands resting on the duvet, until Levi’s once more the one to break it. “I’m gonna pour you a bath,” he announces, and he doesn’t wait for Erwin to agree before he turns around and walks off towards the bathroom. As if this place belonged to him.

Because it does. Now. And Erwin’s fucking fuming. But he doesn’t express it.

Because he really, really, really wants and needs a bath. He feels filthy, hasn’t showered in over a week. He reeks, asking himself how in the world Levi managed to stay close to him.

“Erwin,” the Alpha’s deep, manly voice pulls Erwin out of his thoughts minutes later, “your bath is ready.” Then, Levi leaves, and Erwin is actually quite glad about that. Wrapping the duvet around his still very naked body he makes his way to the bathroom; thinking about how bizarre him being shy in front of Levi now actually is. Because the man’s seen every crevice of his body. Has _touched_ every crevice of his body, licked it, kissed it. Has _fucked_ his body, over and over again, and Erwin’s blushing just as much as he is chewing nervously on his bottom lip, terror gripping his throat like a pair of icy hands choking him.

Levi was the first Alpha Erwin had sex with. The first man he had sex with. Fuck, the first _human being_ Erwin had sex with.

This was his first time. At the age of 35. And isn’t that pathetic? And horrifying?

Levi’s the first person he had sex with – and the _last_ person he’s going to have sex with. Because for him there won’t be anybody else in his life anymore; the bond’s sealed the deal. 

“Fuck,” Erwin curses, embarrassed and ashamed. Ruffled and terrified. All at once, as he quickly immerses himself in the wonderful, warm, bubbly, foamy, water, smelling pleasantly of vanilla and honey. And it feels so good with the warmth embracing his body, and he’s scrubbing his skin with different soaps, washing his blond hair multiple times, his face; his nether region. Trying so hard not to think of all the things he’s done with Levi.

With his Alpha.

And it helps to feel him better. And it doesn’t. Because he cannot fully relax in the tub, and thus, he can’t fully stop thinking about all the stuff that has already happened between him and Levi, and thus, he cannot stop fuming. Because Levi’s outside. In Erwin’s flat. Their flat. Levi’s flat. Whatever. 

Not only does Erwin feel the Alpha’s presence, he can also hear his faint voice. Levi’s on the phone. And it seems to be about work, for he’s saying something about some cases, mentioning judges and stuff, and Erwin’s asking himself if Levi might be doing that on purpose? Trying to show off? How important he fucking is? How grand his job is? How prestigious his position is?

That kind of position Erwin was denied by his own nature.

God, he fucking hates it so much, he—

There’s a soft knock on the door. “Erwin?” Levi enquires from the other side. “Are you okay? You… You’ve been in there a long time.”

A shiver creeps down the blond Omega’s spine at that and he’s instantly frozen. He’s like a deer caught in the headlights. Only he’s caught in a big pool of water with a lot of foam. Completely naked, vulnerable, yet again. And he has no idea what to say. “Can I come in?” Levi asks after a while in which Erwin hasn’t said anything, once again torn between two sets of emotion. One part of him wanting his Alpha to enter the room immediately, to be close to him, and the other… being appalled.

“N-N-No!” it eventually bursts out of the Omega, his angry side winning. Because how much does this Alpha prick want to infiltrate his life?! His privacy? Can’t Erwin even now take a fucking bath alone?! “Fuck off!” he growls, holding still after to listen to the Alpha’s reaction. There is none. Levi just walks away. And Erwin doesn’t know how to feel about it.

He rinses all the foam off in the shower, shaves his pathetic excuse of a beard off, taking his bloody time. Because why should he hurry?

Levi’s not lurking in the hall trying to jump Erwin or anything as he hurries back to the bedroom to get dressed. Instead, the raven-haired man waiting for his Omega at the dining table, with two cups of freshly brewed black tea.

“We need to talk,” the Alpha declares, non-threatening, non-commanding, just… in a serious tone. “So sit down. _Please_.”

Erwin wants to protest, like a spiteful child throwing a tantrum, just to anger Levi. But, astoundingly, the reasonable side of him wins this fight. Because now, out of heat, without any pheromones clouding his mind, and after a very long bath, Erwin can finally think completely clearly again. And thus, he complies, sitting down on the opposite chair. Because he knows that Levi is right. And that they _do_ need to talk. More than before, more than it that one, short, _nearly_ -clear moment during his heat when Levi told him about Omega mother, his job. Even though there is still that malicious part of Erwin who wants to grab the cup of tea and pour the steaming hot contents over that Alpha face of Levi’s, he sits down; both arms folded firmly across his chest; a barrier between him and Levi that Erwin wants to emphasize.

Levi stares at him, and Erwin ostentatiously averts his gaze to look out of the window. Like a spiteful child. He knows this, and yet, he can’t stop it. He’s tense. And so uncomfortable. And so angry, and so bloody confused.

Why the hell did he throw himself in front of Levi?! Fucking Omega nature, fucking—

The Alpha sighs, taking a sip of his tea. “Fine, you don’t have to look at me,” he then states, and Erwin feels a slight wave of annoyance wafting over to him. He doesn’t feel victorious though. “Just hear me out.”

Erwin tuts, grinning coldly. “Is this an order?”

Levi doesn’t respond immediately, and Erwin feels the Alpha’s gaze on his face, which makes him feel kind of nervous. But he’s too proud to display this, too proud to actually look at Levi. Who finally speaks again. “I will never give you any orders, Erwin,” the man states placidly, “we’re not in the fucking military.”

“I see…” A shiver runs down Erwin’s spine.

Another deep sigh leaves Levi’s throat. “Look,” he then starts again, “we’re in the same boat.”

...and that just _does_ it for Erwin. 

“Same boat?!” he roars, finally turning to face Levi. “Same boat?! Are you fucking kidding me?! You pretentious prick! I thought you _knew_ what it was like for an Omega to be bonded to an Alpha. _A bond that equals slavery_ – isn’t that what you said? So how can we be in the fucking _same boat_ when you are my _master_ and I am but your _servant_?! Huh? You—”

“I am _not_ your master and I never _wanted_ to be!” Levi suddenly roars back, smacking his hand down onto the hard wooden surface of the table with so much vigour, it makes the cups clatter; and a menacing wave, paired with the Alpha’s scent once again thickening with another element – an aroma of fire and iron – knocks the air out of Erwin’s lungs. “God!” Levi breathes out, annoyed. “Do you think I _planned_ this?” he then accuses Erwin, venom in his voice that makes Erwin’s skin go cold. “Do you think I wanted this? To be with you? To _bond_ with you?” Levi’s words hurt, even though they shouldn’t. “When you remember the part of me talking about a bond being equal to slavery, then you should also remember me telling you about how I never wanted to bond with an Omega _because_ of that!”

Erwin swallows thickly. He’s unable to respond. And Levi continues his agitated monologue.

“Look, I know your situation is worse than mine because you are now dependent on me in the eyes of the law – and that sucks ass! It’s despicable! It’s something I despise and which I am trying to change. I work my ass off everyday to help Omegas in this fucking country and I am fighting for their rights; we want to rewrite that fucking law, give Omegas equal rights, bonded or not. But it’s gonna take time. Do you know how long it took to make forced bonding illegal? Two hundred years, Erwin. And it’s still happening out there because Omegas yield to the pressure of their families and just endure it. Fuck, I’m getting carried away,” Levi sighs, irritated shaking his head, taking another sip of his tea – and Erwin is so confused, because—

“What I’m trying to say is: I get it,” Levi states energetically, his eyes boring into Erwin’s, making the Omega once again feel as if he’s taken a seat in an emotional rollercoaster, “your life is fucked now. You feel trapped, imprisoned, you feel like I exploited you. And basically, I feel the same way. I am ashamed that I lost control, that my animalistic nature shattered my human reasoning – but you are in no way completely innocent. Because the same thing happened to you: Your nature took control over you when you met me, and it wanted me to claim to. Now: I’m _not_ trying to shield the guilt away, lay it on you,” Levi emphasizes, “I am only trying to get you to understand that you are in _no way_ the _only one_ here, whose life just got turned upside down. Because mine did _too_.”

Erwin swallows, a part of him wanting to throw insults at the Alpha. But that part is small in comparison to the other part of him, the sane one, the cautious one; because Levi’s words are… true. Only now, as the heat symptoms are fully over, the gravity and the reality of the situation starts sinking in. The memories are right there, and he’s already relived them, but only now, he begins to truly comprehend them. 

He was the one to approach the Alpha, to release his pheromones as if a dam had broken. He was the one pushing for it, while Levi tried to stop his nature, even reaching for those heavy emergency blockers an Alpha shouldn’t take too much of because they could fuck up your health and…

“We’re in this _together_ , and I don’t particularly enjoy this situation more than you do,” Levi says harshly – and it hurts. Even though it shouldn’t. But it’s the fucking truth. A truth Erwin’s brain has evaded for the past few days, and mostly a reality-check is painful and uncomfortable. “I told you before: I don’t know what happened between us, why your pheromones were so strong the heavy suppressants I usually take didn’t work on me, and quite frankly, right now I don’t give a fuck about the _why_ because we have more important stuff to deal with, the here and now, and how we will handle this,” the Alpha explains sternly; and he’s right. And Erwin’s shaking slightly, feeling slightly dumb, too, as well as ashamed for so many reasons.

“Hange told me you are full of self-loath because of your secondary gender, but I didn’t know just _how much_ this would turn out to be true,” Levi says – and his words hurt again; but Erwin cannot respond, cannot bite back, interfere. It’s like he’s frozen, staring at the table, just able to listen. “I could give you a thousand reasons to embrace your Omega nature, but right now I believe it would be in vain. All I can, and all I _want_ to say to you right now is this: You can’t change the way you are born – but you can change the way you think about it and the way you handle it.” Those words sound familiar to him, because it’s what Moblit already said to Erwin. And Erwin respects Hange’s partner, his boss. Values his intellect and opinions, and… “And hating all Alphas just because you think _you_ should be one, is exactly what you should change. Because this kind of attitude will only lead to self-destruction,” Levi adds.

And Erwin’s heart is hammering in his chest and his palms are sweaty. 

Because what Levi just said, what his Alpha just told him, it’s…

It’s the brutal truth.

One Erwin thought he was hiding so well. A truth none of his friends and family have ever mentioned to him. And yet Levi, whom Erwin doesn’t even really know, just pointed it out. Stuck his finger right into the everlasting wound.

And it hurts.

“Now, let me tell you just one thing before we finally move on to discuss our future together, that we cannot evade. Just to make this blatantly clear to you once and for all: I have not only fucked up your life when I bit you, I fucked up mine, too. And not only my private life, because… Do you have any idea what this kind of bonding, going against everything I believe and stand for, does to my reputation as an Omega lawyer?” Levi continues to say with a calm but powerful voice. Erwin can’t answer. But then again, this isn’t a question meant to be answered. At least not by Erwin. “It damages it,” Levi concludes. “It ruins it. Because I acted just the way like some of the despicable Alphas do which I defend my clients against. Just barging in and claiming an Omega who I haven’t even spoken a single word to – and who _hates_ me. Do you know what this makes me look and feel like? Like a monster. Like that Alpha monster that you are so horribly scared of, Erwin. And even if you won’t believe me now: I am not that monster.”

Levi goes on, telling Erwin how his partners are already preparing a crisis meeting for Levi to take part in after their bonding was sealed and he could return to work. “Most of my partners have beta lovers and spouses, only Petra and Eld are actually bonded to an Omega. And there is nothing wrong with this – because they went out with their significant other for a few years before bonding, got to know them, love them, respect them. And now here I am, having sex and bonding with an unknown Omega upon my first meeting, breaching everything in a contract I signed, just because of fucking pheromones. God. Do you have any idea how ashamed I am? How horrified of what my clients will think of me when they find out? So I am asking you nicely: Please stop accusing me of being the bad guy here because – I repeat – we are in the same boat, all right?”

Erwin’s throat is dry. He just nods. Because… Because… Because some of the things Levi is saying seem… legit. Like… Even if Erwin doesn’t want to admit it, doesn’t want to dismiss his own anger, he has to concede that Levi is… right.

“Okay, good,” Levi says, slightly relaxing again. Emitting a sigh and having another sip of his tea. Erwin does the same. It tastes nice. “So. We’re bonded, if we like it or not, and we will spend the rest of our lives together. Because, as I told you, I am not a monster and I accept my new duties as your Alpha. So I will take care of you from now on. And that does _not_ mean that I will _rule_ over you, Erwin.”

Erwin takes another sip of his beverage, unsure of what to think and feel exactly, unable to categorize his bodily responses; the slightly elevated beating of his heart and the faint warmth flooding his chest. “...but then… But then what… What _will_ you do?” he hears himself asking.

“Support you, be there for you, not only during your heat, because I will not be that Alpha that only comes around to his Omega for his dosage of estrus-sex,” Levi begins to explain, and a shiver runs down Erwin’s spine at the mention of intercourse, bringing back all those filthy, hot pictures in his mind, and he lowers his gaze, because he’s embarrassed. “To be honest, you don’t even _have_ to have sex with me, if you find another way of enduring your heat,” Levi continues; and Erwin has no idea how to feel about that right now. “I don’t want to force you to do anything, Erwin. I am above you by law, but Alphas and Omegas can have equal relationships despite that, if both are willing.”

“What… What do you mean? Like… What? You’re gonna let me do whatever I wanna do?”

“Regarding the fact that we are a pair now, and each have a partner to consider, doing strictly _whatever we wanna do_ is out of question, because obviously we always need to think about each other when we make decisions,” Levi states calmly. “But that’s the point: I won’t be the one making decisions for you. You’re an adult, you need to make your own decisions. But then, there will also be decisions we need to make as a couple, uh, pair. Whatever you wanna call us.”

Erwin takes another sip of his tea because he feels so funny, so strange, so agitated and nervous and somewhat confused, he doesn’t know what else to do, what to think, what to say. Levi doesn’t… He doesn’t sound assholish. He sounds considerate, respectful, reasonable. But…

Can this be true?

And: This is _still_ the _one_ situation Erwin has never wanted to find himself, bound to a man he still has no clue about, bonded for life. But…

They’re in the same boat. Or at least, a similar one. Yeah, Levi’s right about that.

“There are _some_ things I will have to ask you for, though,” Levi says.

“...to move in with you?” Erwin murmurs automatically, staring into his tea, fumbling with the hem of his shirt under the table as he recalls all the things he knows about bonding. The Alpha having his Omega give up his home right after and come with live with his partner instead, to have access to them 24/7, keep them close – or the Alpha ignoring them, leaving them in their flat to rot, only coming by to have ‘estrus-sex’, as Levi called it himself. But…

“No,” Levi answers his question – and Erwin flinches, his heart starting to beat in an unpleasant rhythm. Because… Hasn’t the man just said that he would not be this type of ignoring Alpha? And why is Erwin even mad about that? Shouldn’t he be happy that Levi won’t have him move into his Alpha’s apartment— “I would appreciate it, if you could look for a new flat for us,” Levi explains, and Erwin freezes. Because he did not expect this, and it’s also a relief that Levi is not asking them to be separated physically, while it also makes Erwin feel bad that he is feeling this way and— “I think it’s fair if we both give up our flats, instead of only one of us having to give up his current home, and move into a new one together. Preferably in a residential complex for bonded Alpha-Omega pairs. And somewhere which is close to your place of work.”

Erwin blinks, still very confused by everything; how he is accepting all of that, for instance. Well, because he really doesn’t have a choice, does he? It’s like Levi says: They can’t change the past. They are bonded now and they have to handle this somehow. But he’s also confused about another thing. And then, he asks Levi something serious for the first time. “But… Where do _you_ work? I mean, where is your law firm?”

“Trost district.”

Erwin blinks again. “But that’s… Moblit’s café is in Shiganshina.” 

“I know.”

“But… But that’s the _other_ end of the town! Shouldn’t… Shouldn’t it be the m-middle? The… flat?”

“I have a fast car and I can avoid the rush hour by choosing my own working hours,” Levi immediately responds. “You’re the one who goes into heat. Irregularly, if what Hange told me is true. And this is why I need to be sure you can make it home quickly.”

So Levi already knows… 

And with that thought, fear spreads inside of Erwin. Because it’s one thing for him to have irregular heats due to his condition, and the other of not being able to… And has Hange told Levi that too? That significant part that can make all the… nice things Levi’s just said, what he’s planning for them, be undone, because…?

“What’s wrong?” Erwin’s Alpha asks in the most melodic, deep tone possible, making a pleasant shiver run down Erwin’s spine as another wave of Levi’s adorable scent hits him, making him feel better, calling to his Omega instincts. And it’s that instinct, that bubble of sudden comfort surrounding Erwin, carrying the urge to comply, that makes him spill the beans immediately.

“I can’t have children.”

The cat’s out of the box, and the silence that surrounds them feels… suffocating.

Erwin can’t look Levi in the eyes, preparing for the Alpha to finally freak out, just like Erwin has already freaked out so many times during the past few days. Erwin’s preparing for bitter, raw, Alpha rage to hit him, destroying that Omega-lawyer, ‘I’m a responsible, righteous Alpha fighting for your rights and respecting you’-façade, and for Erwin to be abandoned right here and there.

But that doesn’t happen.

“I know,” Levi says – and he sounds calm. Absolutely calm. So calm, Erwin’s freaking out on the inside, because he also hates (God, he really hates it) that he is so… happy, so relieved about the Alpha’s answer, and when he turns his head to look into Levi’s face, the man offers a very subtle smile. “It’s okay.”

“It’s o-okay?” Erwin hears himself repeating Levi’s words in disbelief.

“I told you: I wasn’t planning to bond with an Omega. And we Alphas can’t have children with Betas. So, either way: I wasn’t planning on having kids. So I’m fine.”

“Oh…” Erwin feels a thousand emotions and he cannot grasp one.

“So, will you do it?”

“What?”

“Look for a flat for us?”

“Uh, y-yeah. I… I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“I could always move in here, but… This place will not be big enough for the two of us, will it?”

Erwin swallows, once more staring into the deep black tea. And once again, he’s so confused, because…

He’s never heard of a case of an Alpha moving into an Omega’s home.

Suddenly, Erwin thinks of Hange’s words. 

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

He swallows, his brain working hard to decipher everything he is feeling and contemplating. And it’s a hard task. So Erwin decides to take it step by step as to not drown in further confusion.

“Yeah, um. This flat… would be too small for us, yes,” he agrees.

“Then it’s settled,” Levi says, adding that Erwin should just pick out apartments that are to his liking. All Levi needs is a spacious study with a window and a bathroom with a tub. “The rest is up to you.”

And Erwin cannot believe that he’s actually going to live with this man now, rage and irritation along with fear mixing in his chest; there’s also wonder about… how Levi’s handling things right now, how he’s interacting with him, what he is saying, what he already _told_ Erwin. Fighting for Omega rights, being a child to an Omega mother, letting his Omega look for a flat instead of just taking him home… It…

It could be worse, right?

But it could be better, too. 

He could still be his unbonded, happy self, with his own life, his own future, his own—

“Erwin…” Levi murmurs and another wave of his Alpha’s wonderful smell wafts over to Erwin, calming him down.

Just what he needed.

And he hates it.

And he loves it.

A heavy sigh breaks out of his throat and Erwin buries his face in his hands. “It’s just so fucking confusing…!” he laments and Levi hums.

“I know,” the man then says, “and trust me when I tell you that I feel the same way. Though for you it must be even tougher. I’m really sorry about this, Erwin. I’m sorry I ruined your life.”

There’s a while of silence in which Erwin keeps his eyes closed and his face buried in his palms, all of Levi’s words echoing in his mind, and his heart aches. And he hates this, but he just has to get it out. “I’m sorry too,” he mumbles, tears brimming in his eyes. Because only now he realizes just how true Levi’s words are and that he… is an asshole too. And far from innocent. “I don’t know what happened, why I—”

“What’s done is done,” Levi interjects softly, and when Erwin dares to lower his hands and look at his Alpha again, the man with raven hair is smiling at him very softly. “I told you: Let’s not dwell on the why. Let’s focus on what’s going to happen next.”

“...what is gonna happen next? I mean, next to us… moving in together…”

It feels strange to say it. It feels strange to imagine this actually becoming true. And yet Erwin knows it will. 

“Since our bonding is not over yet, I’m afraid we will need to stay locked in your flat for another few days. But at least, this will give us some time to get to know each other, though I do have to get a little bit of work done. I hope you’re not mad that I set myself up in your study…”

Erwin shakes his head. “No, it’s… It’s all right.”

“Thank you. So, uh, why don’t we… Why don’t I cook us a nice dinner, we open a bottle of wine and then you… And then you tell me about yourself, Erwin. And I will tell you anything you want to know about me. Huh? Let’s have… That date we didn’t get to have. What do you say?”

Erwin has to think of Hange’s words again. 

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

And he has no idea just how true those words are.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys SO, SO, SO much for the feedback on the previous chapter! Your thoughts and feelings on this make my day, truly :) I hope you enjoy this update – lemme know! <3

Their “date” is truly bizarre. Like their whole situation, Erwin ponders, as he uncorks the bottle of wine that definitely does not come from his pantry. Levi must have had his coworker Isabel bring it along with some of his stuff. And only then the thought strikes him that he’s practically _already_ living together with Levi. A step many couples only take after being together for a few years.

They skipped _years_.

They also skipped the important part of… _falling in love._

“What’s your favourite dish anyway?” Levi asks. And this simple question only highlights their bizarre situation. Because they have fucked for so long Erwin can’t even tell how many times exactly he was knotted by Levi, plus they are bonded for life, and here they are, not knowing a single fucking thing about each other’s personal lifes.

It feels like an arranged marriage. An arranged bonding. Only it isn’t. It’s the result of their animalistic natures raging wild due to an excessive release of pheromones, triggered by…

By what exactly?

“Erwin,” Levi murmurs his name, and Erwin flinches when the man suddenly puts his hand onto his shoulder softly, and the Alpha’s nice scent fills up his nostrils. Only when Erwin starts to relax again, he realises how tense he has been just now. 

Levi lets go off his shoulder, going back to his task of chopping vegetables. “You need to give me boundaries,” he suddenly says, without looking at his Omega. And Erwin is, once again confused. “Due to our connection, I can feel your emotions very well, even better than you can feel mine,” he explains. Once more simple biological facts. “And I guess it’s my Alpha nature that makes me feel the urge to… touch you, in order to calm you down. But, given our circumstances, I don’t wanna make you feel more uncomfortable than I already do. So please tell me to back off, whenever necessary. Okay?”

“Okay,” Erwin mumbles, yet again taken aback by the Alpha’s words.

Boundaries.

Telling him to back off.

It’s so… bizarre.

Because what Alpha would think and actually act this way?

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

“So, what is your favourite dish?” Levi asks again, preparing the salad.

“Spaghetti with meatballs,” Erwin finally answers, and Levi looks over his shoulder at him, smirking. And he looks… dazzling.

“Well, guess what: I’m a meatball master, and I’m gonna make your favourite dish.”

In the first second, Erwin experiences annoyance bubbling up in his chest. Because he thinks of Levi as an arrogant prick, boasting his cooking skills. But then… But then Erwin – or at least the sane and reasonable side of him, now empowered by the end of his heat – quickly realises that those words aren’t meant in a bragging way. It’s quite the opposite: It’s a try of being witty and relaxed – and of doing something nice for Erwin.

Another truth that kind of hurts, because a part of Erwin still wants to go on hating the Alpha that has so brutally changed his life.

But then again… Then again that sane part of Erwin has already begun to digest the fact that Levi is not the only to be blamed. And that… That he doesn’t have another choice. That eventually, he will need to accept Levi as a part of his life. Because what’s the alternative? Rotting away in an endless cycle of pain and even more painful longing for his Alpha when he decides to separate himself from him. Not that he could. After all, Erwin _belongs_ to Levi now and Levi has the right to decide about his whereabouts and everything else, and…

“Erwin,” Levi’s voice pulls the blond back out of his vicious spiral of dark and vengeful thoughts.

Erwin swallows, shaking off those considerations as he breathes in his Alpha’s scent.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” the black-haired man mumbles. And Erwin’s, yet again, confused. “I keep on releasing my scent whenever I feel you start getting agitated, to calm you down, but I really hope you don’t think I am trying to manipulate you. Because I really am not. It’s just… I can’t really control this yet.”

“It’s okay!” it slips out of Erwin’s mouth immediately, the Omega inside of him speaking, fearful of losing the opportunity to breathe in that dazzling perfume that makes him feel… better. There’s no denying that. Even if Erwin is irritated by this thought, angered. It’s another one of those brutal truths. Another part of his also very undeniable nature.

Levi offers a faint smile. “I’m sorry nonetheless.”

“...me too,” Erwin answers, meaning… the whole of it. Which is, indeed, his fault, too.

And he hates it.

But he has no other choice, and so far… So far Levi hasn’t behaved like the proper Alpha asshole Erwin has viewed him, which just adds to the general confusion of the blond Omega. He doesn’t trust this alleged appearance and behaviour yet. Oh no. But… He doesn’t have another choice than to play along for now. Because they really need to settle things between them, how they will proceed as a pair, get all of their affairs in check, agree on financial matters, and… And even if Erwin never wanted this, never wanted Levi, he needs to get to know him. 

And he cannot admit to himself fully that actually a big part of him is truly _curious_ about Levi.

“I can… I can help you with the cooking. Uh, I, I cook a lot,” he offers, not wanting to _not_ be part of dinner preparation.

“You do?” Levi asks, sounding genuinely pleased. “So, we have something in common. That’s a start.”

They make a good pair. In the kitchen. Working together. And Erwin still feels a bit uncomfortable – because how could he not? – but he’s pushing through. And he learns a bit about Levi.

His uncle taught him how to fight, while his uncle’s partner – an Alpha called Uri and whom Kenny chose himself to be his pair – taught Levi how to cook. His mother was the head of the household, still is, bossing all of the men around. And it’s… It’s actually quite funny to listen to Levi telling him about that odd family of his. Really, it’s all… bizarre. 

The meal tastes amazing.

“We work well together,” Levi states, taking a sip of his wine.

Erwin has no idea what to say, his eyes glued to his Alpha’s face. “How did you get that scar?" Erwin finally asks. A question that has been on his mind this whole time actually.

“Knife.”

“...knife?”

Levi nods. “A drunk Alpha was going berserk in an alley. I was going home from a bar, saw this asshole trying to get it on with an Omega hooker who clearly did not want to service this bastard. So I tried to stop this, and things got nasty.”

“Oh…” Erwin feels very strange things stirring in his belly.

“Yeah.”

“...what… what happened to the Omega?” he asks, breathless.

“Nothing,” Levi responds calmly. “I beat the shit out of that drunkard and the Omega didn’t get hurt.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

“Do you play chess, Erwin?” Levi suddenly enquires, after taking another sip of the tasty wine.

“I… do.”

“Do you want to play against me?”

Erwin’s still not done with contemplating Levi’s scar story. His family tale. What it means. What everything means. He’s overwhelmed. “Uh… sure,” he says nonetheless.

They play for hours, drinking wine and keeping talk to a minimum. But getting to know somebody by playing chess against them is something that works for Erwin. 

He finds out that Levi is indeed quite the strategist. He obviously has to be, considering he’s a lawyer. He is also very calm – and he takes defeat with a good sense of humour. Just like Erwin does, when Levi gets his revenge and beats his ass with a few very smart moves. And Erwin catches himself relaxing. But maybe that’s also due to the very pleasant, faint smell wafting over from Levi? The whole situation – him, sitting in his flat that he will leave soon, playing a game with his Alpha, whom he has shouted at, insulted, whom he has told he hated him, with whom he has to spend the rest of his life with nonetheless, and who has already told him so many astounding things about his life – it’s all just... _bizarre_.

It feels unreal. But it isn’t.

“Do you have any siblings, Erwin?” Levi asks after his move.

“No. You?”

“No. I’m an only child. Spoiled to the core.”

Erwin can’t contain a faint smile at that. “S-same…” 

He thinks about his father who raised him on his own after his Alpha mother had passed. He doesn’t remember her. But thinking about his father and his message, asking him if he was okay and pleading him to call him as soon as possible, because obviously someone already delivered the news to him, makes Erwin snap out of the illusional relaxation.

Levi obviously senses that.

“Hey… What’s… What’s wrong?” the Alpha asks.

“I, uh… My… My father, I need to…”

“Yeah,” Levi agrees, sighing faintly. “You should call him.”

“Yeah…”

“Meanwhile I prepare some dessert, how about it? You seem like the chocolate kind of guy. How about some chocolate pudding? My recipe is badass.”

Erwin swallows.

He fucking _loves_ chocolate pudding.

And he hates that he loves it. 

Just as much as he doesn’t.

Fuck, this shit is confusing as hell.

“Y-Yeah.”

“It’s going to be all right,” Levi says to him when he sees Erwin staring at his phone without moving an inch.

“And how the fuck would _you_ know?” the blond snaps at his Alpha – and strangely, he instantly regrets it. Because he knows that Levi just meant well.

Even though he still hates him.

The black-haired merely offers a faint smile, doesn’t retort, turning around instead to walk back into the kitchen. “I’m gonna get to work,” he announces before he leaves Erwin on his own.

The blond sighs, his head still full with so many thoughts. Then, after ten minutes pass in which he’s chewing on his bottom lip, he dials his father’s number.

“Winnie…!” the old man gasps into the phone. And hearing his father’s voice just makes everything better. And worse. Because it all breaks out of him, and a new waterfall of tears is being released.

“Papa…” he sobs into the phone.

“Oh, Winnie, hey… It’s okay, my boy… Just… What happened, Erwin? Are you all right?”

“No…” Erwin can’t stop himself from sobbing again. 

“Did he hurt you?! Did that Alpha hurt you, Erwin?” Kasimir Smith nearly bellows into the phone. And Erwin needs a moment to ponder this question. “Erwin! Did he hurt you? Did he… Is he still with you? Did he leave you after the bonding? Son! Talk to me!” His father is freaking out on the other end of the line, which snaps Erwin back into reality.

“No,” he answers vehemently. “No, he… He’s still here and.. He… He didn’t hurt me. I mean. Not physically.” It’s the truth.

“What has he said to you?! Has he insulted you?”

“N-No… He… I… I’m really… I’m just really confused, dad,” Erwin whimpers, brushing away his tears with the sleeve of his pullover.

There’s a pause. Then, Kasimir Smith asks again. “What happened, Erwin? Mike told me you were supposed to go out for a coffee with that man… And then you bonded with him? What… What happened, Winnie?”

“I don’t know…!” Erwin whimpers again – and tells his father the whole story. How his body just reacted, how he couldn’t control it, how Levi tried to resist, and what the man told him after the bonding. Even though all of this is so fucking embarassing and disgraceful, makes Erwin feel so totally ashamed. But he really needs to get it all out, sparing his father the details of the bedroom, of course...

Kasimir Smith stays quiet after that. 

“...dad? Are you still there?”

“...yes. Yes, I’m sorry. I’m… I’m here, it’s just… Winnie, it’s just so unexpected. But.... Son,” Kasimir sighs. “I’m here for you, I always will be. And you’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. And, and… And this Levi… He doesn’t… He doesn’t sound all... He doesn’t sound all bad... Huh...?”

Erwin scoffs. “He just ruined my life, but yeah. I guess it could be worse.”

His father releases a short laugh at the sarcastic remark, and Erwin’s actually surprised he’s able to form such a response. 

“You… You will be fine, Erwin. Just… Just breathe, son. There’s… There’s no way out of this, you gotta deal with this. And you’re strong. You’re strong, Erwin, and this Alpha of yours… He… He really doesn’t sound like a… Levi really doesn’t sound like a really bad guy.”

Erwin scoffs. Hating that he cannot disagree.

Because Levi really doesn’t seem to be a _really_ bad guy.

He’s just… bizarre.

“I want to meet him as soon as possible,” his father says nonetheless. “So… Come over. The two of you. Whenever you can make time after your bonding is completed and you’re settled in. I really… I really need to meet him.”

So do Moblit and Nanaba, under different circumstances than the last time, when Levi fought against Hange and Mike naked in Erwin’s bedroom and the other two Omegas tried to calm their Alphas down…

Really, this is all just… _bizarre_.

“I’m sorry about missing out on so many hours,” he tells his boss when he calls Moblit next.

“No, no, no! You don’t worry about that, Erwin!”

“But I do.”

“I’m sure you have other shit to worry about right now…”

“Yeah, well…” Moblit hit the nail right on the head.

“How… How are you holding up?”

Right in this moment, Levi announces his presence by clearing his throat as he steps into the living room, where Erwin is laying on the couch, and when the blond turns his head to look at his Alpha, the latter offers another smile while he sets the bowl of luke warm chocolate pudding with whipped cream and fresh berries on top down onto the coffee table. With his own bowl, Levi leaves the room, walking over to Erwin’s study, probably to work a bit – definitely to give his Omega some space and privacy for his phone calls. And once more it’s so… bizarre. So… un-Alpha like.

...and the pudding tastes amazing.

“Fuck,” Erwin curses, suppressing a contented moan at the rich, chocolate taste of the dish.

“What?” Moblit gasps, and Erwin sighs.

“Levi just, uh, he made a really fucking good chocolate pudding…”

“...he made chocolate pudding for you?”

“Y-yeah.”

Moblit pauses. “That’s, um. That’s actually really sweet,” he then says in a soft voice, and Erwin rolls his eyes.

“You are aware you’re saying this about the man who fucking bit me and claimed me on the first day we met and who has ruined my life forever, right?”

Moblit sighs. “Erwin…”

“Are you going to tell me now that I should be happy I finally have an Alpha?”

Another deep sigh leaves Moblit’s throat, and Erwin’s so fucking angry that he’s gobbling up the whole sweet dish made by Levi and that he’s actually really feeling giddy about his Alpha having made this dessert for him. It’s so fucking cofusing.

And bizarre.

“Look, after what you have told me about Levi so far, all I can say is: The man tried,” Moblit says with emphasis. “The man really tried to resist you, his nature, whatever, but your pheromones were mighty strong. I mean, fuck: The _Reiss Extra_ suppressant didn’t work on him, that’s… That’s fucking crazy, man! And Hange swears on their life they saw Levi take it. So…” Moblit sighs again. “And yeah, even if you don’t want to hear this right now: You could have gotten bitten by an Alpha much worse. I mean: He obviously wants an equal relationship with you, have you make your own decisions, live your life as freely as possible. And that’s exactly what Hange and I have, what Mike and Nanaba have, and I keep telling you there are Alphas out there just like them, and Levi… He seems to be one of them! I mean, for fuck’s sake: He’s an Omega lawyer, a really popular one as well. So…”

“So I should be grateful, is that it?”

“You should get to know him better, I mean you already found out that your assumptions about him, about Alphas in general, were wrong. Didn’t you?”

Moblit’s not wrong about that. He’s not completely right either. 

Everything is just so fucking confusing…!

“And… It’s not like you have a choice, Erwin,” Moblit adds tenderly. “I wish you had, and I wish you weren’t in this situation. I wish you had… I wish you had fallen in love with an Alpha and bonded of your own free will, as an act of love and devotion, like Hange and I have, and not… In a pheromonal frenzy. But… You can’t change that.”

“No…” Erwin agrees, holding back another fit of tears while eating the last spoon of the wonderful pudding.

“So… You need to move forward. You need to accept this situation and yeah, be grateful that Levi isn’t a jerk leaving you alone after the bond and coming to get you whenever it pleases him, but someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of a bonded Alpha. You need to get to know this man. And, you know, call me crazy but… Maybe you can even fall in love with him? Some day?”

Erwin scoffs. “No fucking way…”

Though a part of him wishes it was true.

Because…

Even if he would never admit it: All Erwin ever wanted was to fall in love.

And his choices had been limited before with his fucked up condition and his other inhibitions. And now? And now he has only one option left: Falling in love with Levi – or spending the rest of his life without love all together. 

And it… It sucks.

“You need to give him a chance,” Moblit insists. “Because do you really want to spend the rest of your life with someone whom you resent and who resents you? I don’t think that’s a life you deserve, and I don’t think that’s a life this Levi guy deserves. Because _no one_ deserves that.”

Erwin has no idea what to respond.

And it sucks.

“Erwin,” his Alpha’s voice shakes him awake from his trance after the phone call with Moblit, and the black-haired man sits down on the sofa right next to him, keeping a certain distance nonetheless. “Are you all right?”

“No…?”

Levi sighs. “What can I do to make you feel better?” And then that scent hits him again, wrapping its invisible arms once more around Erwin, that fragrance of petrichor, forest and leather. And it’s so fucking nice, chasing the demons away. “Shit. I did it again, didn’t I?” Levi mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose, referring to his scent release. “I’m sorry, I just can’t—”

“It helps,” Erwin interjects, not wanting his Alpha to stop. Because all those demons need to be chased away, all those negative, hateful thoughts, the whirlwind of dark emotions and worries. Because Moblit is right, just as is Levi: He needs to give this a chance. Fuck, he has no other choice, if he doesn’t want to be suicidal. Again. He has to get to know Levi. And it’s like the latter’s said before: Erwin doesn’t even need to _like_ him, let alone _love_ him. He just needs to _accept_ him, right?

But he wants to love, to _be_ loved, so badly. 

And Levi fucked it up.

Erwin fucked it up.

They both did.

“...is there anything else I can do for you?”

Erwin takes in a deep breath, inhaling that nice aroma that cleanses his mind. “...you got any more of that, uh, pudding…?”

Levi smiles. “I sure do.” And when the man comes back with a second serving that makes Erwin’s mouth water, the blond decides to do what Moblit’s advised him to do.

To move forward. To advance. 

Because he doesn’t have another choice.

“Can you… Can you tell me more about yourself?” Erwin asks Levi, receiving another one of those soft smiles.

“What do you wanna know?”

“...everything?”

Levi laughs. “All right.”

He learns more about Levi that night, the following days, when the Alpha’s not working from Erwin’s study.

Levi is an early riser. He doesn’t even need an alarm. The clock strikes six in the morning, and Levi is up. And usually, if he wasn’t staying with Erwin for their bond to be completed, he’d go running before breakfast.

“I go for a run with Mike almost every morning,” Erwin tells him, drinking coffee while Levi’s having another cup of tea. “I mean, I used to...” Because now, he’ll probably be prohibited by his Alpha.

“Did something happen like an injury that you’re not running with him anymore?” Levi enquires, and Erwin’s brows furrow.

“No, I mean: Now that I’m bonded to you, you won’t let me go running with another Alpha, right?” he answers a bit coldly, and Levi freezes in his movement before looking at Erwin, raising his brow.

“Who said that?”

Now Erwin’s the one to freeze. “Um...” He’s confused, yet again. Because what Alpha would let their Omega go on a run, alone, with another Alpha? 

A sigh leaves Levi’s mouth and he sets the tea down. “Erwin, I told you I am not that monster you are so scared of. Mike is your best friend, right? What kind of terrible person would I be, if I stopped you from seeing him? I’m not that person. You can do whatever you want, as long as you’re safe and I know where you are so that I don’t need to worry about you – and the way Mike almost tried to kill me when you went down from Hange’s punch already showed me that you are more than safe with him around. Okay?”

Levi almost sounds a bit annoyed. And yet, those words come out so nicely. 

Yes, it’s still absolutely fucking bizarre.

And once again, Hange’s words are being replayed in Erwin’s mind.

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

“O-Okay...”

Levi takes a sip of his tea. Then, after a while of silence he adds: “Maybe one day you’ll also feel comfortable enough to join _me_ on my morning run. With or without Mike in tow.”

Erwin stays quiet.

He learns other things about Levi, too.

That he loves driving a car, that he hates smoking, that he detests coffee – which Erwin clearly cannot understand – and that he loves horses. In fact, he and his business partner Isabel, who is also one of Levi’s closest friends, own three together, both of them paying for people to take care of the beautiful mares Maria, Rose and Sheena while they work. 

“I could teach you how to ride,” he offers.

“M-Maybe,” Erwin answers, a shiver running down his spine.

He’s always wanted to ride a horse…

But most importantly, what Erwin learns during their second week of “being together” is the fact that Levi keeps his word. For the Alpha tells the Omega he doesn’t want to bother him, repeats that he doesn’t want to make Erwin feel uncomfortable and force him to do anything, especially sexually – even though given by the law it would be Levi’s right to claim his Omega whenever he feels like it.

“It’s disgusting,” says the lawyer, who has moved to sleep on the couch on the first day after Erwin’s heat, when he didn’t need to be so close to his Omega anymore. And Levi stays on the couch, not protesting or lamenting that it is uncomfortable to sleep on for a longer period of time. And Erwin is…

He’s just totally confused and relieved and… Yeah, he’s confused, all right. And he’s totally hating the fact that he actually stole one of the pillows Levi took to the living room with him back – because sleeping in his bedroom without his Alpha’s scent was… simply impossible. And it sucks. It totally sucks, but…

But there is nothing he can do about it.

“It’s normal,” Nanaba tells him when they are texting and he’s opening up to her about it. “It’s the natural way after bonding. Whenever Mike is gone for a longer period of time, I actually even start sniffing the things he’s worn, and he makes sure to scent-mark the whole bedroom so that I can sleep when he’s not around. Seriously Erwin: There’s nothing to be ashamed about that.”

But Erwin _is_ ashamed about that. Just like he is ashamed that he had sex with Levi. So much of it. The memories brushing the surface of his unruly mind now and then when he looks at the Alpha, and he instantly blushes; and the worst part about it is: Levi knows when he’s thinking about that filthy stuff, about how his Alpha knotted him. He can sense it. Erwin knows, because he’s catching waves of this and that from his Alpha, too. And, just as Levi said: For an Alpha it is even more intense, that feeling of his mate. It’s natural. A means of protecting but also controlling the Omega.

And Erwin hates it.

And then again, he doesn’t. Because whenever he starts feeling anxious about the whole ordeal, whenever the stress comes back up again, Levi sends out this pleasant scent, along with calming waves – apologizing each time he does it.

But Erwin needs it. 

Though he doesn’t say so to Levi.

“Have you started looking for a flat yet?” Levi asks him when Erwin is, once again, enjoying that delicious chocolate pudding made by the Alpha. It kind of catches him off guard. Because he hasn’t. Too focussed on trying to not think about the whole… situation. The fact that day after day he’s spent inside of the flat with Levi.

“Not yet…” he admits and awaits a scolding or waves of annoyance. 

None of it happens. “Okay,” is all that Levi says, before excusing himself to take a work call in Erwin’s study.

And once more, Erwin finds it all… bizarre.

He learns that Levi likes classical music – just like Erwin does. Together, they sit in the living room, listening to their favourite tunes, drinking tea, each reading the paper, a book, or just dozing off, without talking much. And it’s during those times that Erwin is able to forget all of his rage and just… relax.

He learns that Levi works out a lot, just like Erwin does, going to an Omega-only gym three times a week. “A flat big enough for a small private gym would be nice,” Levi muses. “Don’t you think?”

Erwin tenses up. “...are you trying to tell me to hurry the fuck up with my search?”

“No! God, no,” Levi immediately counters, sounding sincere. “I just… I was just thinking aloud. I’m sorry. No pressure, Erwin.”

The blond licks his lips, feeling… bizarre.

“Why do you actually want me to pick out the flat?” he finally asks.

Levi sets his paper aside, waiting for his Omega to look at him before he answers. “Because I want you to feel as comfortable as possible when you start living with me. And I want you to understand that I am really not trying to impose anything on you. I told you: I won’t be ruling over you in any way. I want us to be equals.”

Erwin cannot, for the love of God, tell what he is feeling right now. It’s good. And bad. And good. And bad. And wonderful. And terrible.

It’s all… bizarre.

It’s week three when the bonding is complete. They test it, like they do every day – seeing how far Levi can go without the two of them feeling pain and the need to instantly be in each other’s presence again; something which Erwin experiences much stronger than his Alpha. Until finally, he doesn’t. At least not in a way that makes being on his own _impossible_.

Before Levi departs to get back to his own flat, to get back to the office, he hands Erwin a business card.

But it isn’t his own.

“Reiner Braun is a friend of mine,” Levi explains as Erwin reads the unknown man’s name on the little piece of hard paper. He’s an Omega-lawyer just like Erwin’s Alpha. “He’s a tough one. So if you want to take action against me breaking our contract, he’s your man.”

“Wh-What?” Erwin stammers, not comprehending anything right now. 

“Look,” Levi starts to explain, “obviously, you can’t sue me directly because I am now your Alpha. But there’s always a loophole. Since I signed up with my cousin’s agency you could press charges against them, which would lead them to take action against me. It’s a little detour, but you could still make me pay like that.”

Erwin’s flabbergasted. What in the world…?

“Wh-Why…? Why are you doing this?” it breaks out of him. “This could fucking… This could ruin your reputation as a lawyer completely, couldn’t it?”

Levi looks down onto the floor, smiling sadly. “Yes,” he finally answers. “Yes, it could.”

“Then why?!” Erwin almost screams.

It’s then, that Levi looks him in the eyes again, and the softness on his Alpha’s face nearly hurts Erwin because it is so fragile and beautiful and so… bizarre. “Because I want you to have a choice, Erwin. I would advise any of my clients in your situation to do this – so how could I not tell _you_ , out of all the people? You’re my Omega, after all.”

Erwin has no idea what to say. He’s dumbfounded. 

“Please keep me posted about the flat. And everything else. If you need anything, and I mean anything – call me. Okay, Erwin?”

The blond is too stunned to even react, give any affirmative. He just stares at Levi.

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

“Anyways, I hope you don’t mind me checking in on you from time to time via messenger. And please trust me that I will never come to your place unannounced and uninvited, okay?”

Erwin still can’t speak.

“Well, I need to go now. Take care.”

With this, Levi turns around and walks away – and Erwin needs another five minutes before he can actually move and close the door.

And tell Hange to come over immediately. With a huge bottle of wine.

Hange doesn’t come alone. They bring Moblit, Mike and Nanaba. And they apologise around a thousand times for what happened; for attacking his Alpha like that and accidentally hitting Erwin. Also, for making Erwin go on that date. 

“I shouldn’t have insisted,” they sigh, taking a sip of the wine, all friends united in the living room. 

Erwin releases a sigh too. And once again he finds himself in a bizarre situation. Because he can’t even be mad at Hange for setting him up with Levi. 

It’s not Hange’s fault.

It’s not _Levi’s_ fault, either.

Erwin blinks.

No, he really can’t blame the Alpha solely for what happened anymore. And he has no idea why. Is it his Omega instinct trying to protect his Alpha even from his own bad thoughts? Fuck, Erwin has no idea.

“So…” Nanaba tries carefully after a moment of silence, in which Erwin’s friends have shared certain glances with each other. “What now? What did you agree on with Levi? Are you guys…?”

“He told me I could take legal actions against him,” it breaks out of Erwin – and now his friends are confused.

“What exactly did Levi tell you?” Hange asks in their lawyer voice, and Erwin retells his last conversation with his Alpha.

“Is that… true? Would it work?” Erwin asks his friend, whose eyes are wide.

“He really told you that? Just like that?” Hange ensures and Erwin nods. “Wow. I mean. Yes. Yes, this is, like Levi said, a loophole and a judicial detour, but. Yes. You could make him… pay.”

“I can’t believe he suggested for you to actually do this,” Moblit whispers and exchanges another deep glance with Nanaba, who’s nodding, agreeing.

And so does Erwin.

“I mean… It could still just be something he said just to, you know, lull me in, pretend he’s that super nice, caring Alpha, but maybe he’s only told me because he’s sure I _won’t_ do it, because I’d be damaging his reputation and we are bonded after all and shit, and so maybe he just said it to make me think he’s that super great guy and—

Mike snorts, cutting Erwin short. “You really don’t think this was a strategic move. Please, Erwin. Not after everything Levi’s already done, taking care of you for almost three weeks, being a responsible Alpha, working from your study, giving you the freedom of choosing your new home, not asking you to give up anything, trying to set up an equality from the start. So, I’m sorry, you might not wanna hear this, but Levi sounds like a decent man to me as of now. Of course, he has yet to prove it, but right now I cannot possibly imagine that he only said this to make you lull you in. No.”

Erwin’s heart is beating fast in his chest. “Aren’t you supposed to hate him?! You’re my friend and he ruined my fucking life!” he then attacks, and Mike’s rolling his eyes. “And wasn’t it you who almost tried to kill him in my bedroom?”

“I wanted to kill him then, yes, I’m still super angry about this whole bonding on the spot thing, yes, because just like everyone else around here I wish you would have found a partner in a different way! But I’m only stating the obvious that you stubborn asshat don’t want to see: For one, if it’s true and you released this hellish amount of pheromones that even the _Reiss_ suppressant couldn’t handle – how the fuck do you expect him to stay sane? And he tried, didn’t he? To avert the disaster.” Aye, Levi did… “And for two: Are you blind and deaf? It’s pure chaos, also for Levi, and he’s drastically changing his own life to fit you into it, being a gentleman, concerning himself with you, even giving you an opportunity to get back at him legally because he is also an Alpha who considers the judicial, Omega-discriminatig system to be full of shit, fuck, he’s even trying to change it. And you still think it’s all just an act. Wow.”

“Mike…” Nanaba says her Alpha’s name in calming fashion, but Mike doesn’t shut up. And there are so many emotions whirling inside of Erwin’s chest. 

It’s overwhelming.

“Look, I’ve been pissed at you for a long time thinking so poorly about us Alphas. I mean, look at me, look at Hange. Are we bad people? Just because we are Alphas? Are we, Erwin?”

“N-No…” Erwin mumbles, fighting the tears gathering in his eyes.

“Then why is it so hard for you to believe that there are other Alphas like us out there, among the sea of assholes, huh?”

Erwin loses the fight and the tears spill down his cheek. Because… Because it’s all so bizarre and he’s confused and… scared. Ashamed.

He’s scared and ashamed because a part of him believes that Mike is right and that Levi really might not be one of those bad Alphas, the negative stereotypes so drilled into Erwin’s head, and he feels bad because badmouthing Alphas all the time, as he only now realises, must have hurt his friends a lot over time.

“Fuck,” Mike mumbles and gets up, only to sit down right next to Erwin, put his arm around him. “Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry, I’m just…” 

Hange, sitting on the other side of Erwin, moves closer too, putting their hand onto his thigh, offering a soft smile when Erwin looks at them, wiping the tears away. “Hey,” they mumble, “it’s okay, Erwin. It’s gonna be all fine. You’ll be fine. And Levi… Mike was just trying to say that Levi… Really doesn’t sound like a bad guy.”

“He really doesn’t,” Nanaba and Moblit join in at the same time, making everybody huff out a faint laugh at the two Omegas talking simultaneously. Even Erwin.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” he mutters, wiping away the rest of his tears, Mike’s strong arm still wrapped around him. Making him feel comfortable.

But it’s not the same kind of comfort he feels that he experienced when Levi touched him… It’s different. So different.

“Don’t be,” Mike says. “And I swear Erwin: Even if I don’t think this will happen, but… If Levi hurts you in any way, please tell me and I will _eradicate_ him.”

Erwin smiles. 

“How about we make some cookies?” Moblit suggests, breaking up the gathering a little, leading everyone but Hange into the kitchen.

“Erwin,” they say in an earnest tone, and the blond looks at them immediately. “If you want to take legal actions against Levi, I would totally understand. But please keep in mind that you’d be dragging my lovely friend Mikasa and their heat agency into this. Dragging her down the drain. Now, I don’t want to persuade you _not_ to do this, please don’t misunderstand. I just need you to consider this thoroughly before you contact Reiner Braun. He’s a good lawyer, I heard. So, don’t worry about that. But… Just let me tell you that Mikasa’s work is really helping a lot of Omegas. And not just the heat agency. She just opened, but she’s already donating a fair amount of money to Omega institutions and organisations. She’s also supporting the _Sonny & Bean orphanage_.” 

Erwin swallows and his pulse quickens.

The orphanage. It’s where Moblit grew up. They make a monthly delivery of sweet goods to the Omega place, and thinking about all those kids smiling at the pastries and chocolates coming from Moblit’s café makes Erwin always so happy.

But right now, it makes him sad.

“Mikasa’s upset about what happened with Levi and she’s already given him tons of shit. She also wants to meet with you to apologize personally, but I told her right now is not a good time, but… She’s a really good person. And she swears that Levi is too and that he will be a good Alpha to you. She also promised to rip his ass off if he might prove her wrong…”

Erwin manages a vague grin. “She sounds a bit like you…”

Hange snickers. “I guess that’s why we get along so well…”

There’s a short pause, and Erwin’s sorting through all of his emotions.

“Anyhow… Wanna join the cookie squad? Focus on something super nice for a change?” Hange suggest, pointing towards the kitchen. Erwin sighs, then he agrees.

They don’t talk about Levi anymore, after Erwin retells his friends everything that happened during the past days and how he’s supposed to look at flats and hasn’t done this yet.

Then, after his friends take their leave, he’s suddenly on his own, in his bed, pressing the pillow Levi used to sleep on harshly into his nose, inhaling his Alpha’s scent.

And he feels so stupid. And gross. And he wants to toss it. 

But he doesn’t.

And that’s the moment his phone chimes.

It’s a message from Levi.

“Hey. I hope the rest of your day was fine and that you’re all right. If you feel like getting something off your chest, call me anytime. I keep my phone on during night for emergencies. So don’t hesitate to call me. I’m sorry about the whole situation, but I promise you, I will do everything in my power to provide you with a good life. Goodnight, Erwin.”

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

It’s day three without Levi that Erwin feels strong enough to go to work again.

Levi’s texted him everyday. Not asking questions – a means of not making Erwin feel the need to reply. Which the blond hasn’t. Because he’s just so confused, thinking about everything that happened, everything that Levi’s told him, what his friends have told him, rage fighting with remorse, hatred fighting with sadness, so many contradicting emotions boiling inside of him. And it all makes him feel strange. So very strange.

And when he’s home on day six without Levi, and realizes that the pillow isn’t smelling of his Alpha that much anymore… _Erwin nearly goes insane._

It’s as if there was a freaking hole in his body. Like someone had punched him in his stomach, hard, puncturing it. Tearing out flesh and blood and muscles. His throat hurts, as if he was falling sick. But he isn’t. He’s just… restless. And it’s a peculiar kind of restlessness. One he hasn’t experienced before.

Because before all this, Erwin was a free Omega.

Unbonded.

And now, everything is different.

It’s eating him up from the inside. A feeling similar to the one when he woke up in the middle of the bonding procedure, when Levi wasn’t around and his whole body was aching due to their physical separation. Longing for his Alpha. Longing for Levi.

And Erwin hates it. He hates it so much, and it hurt, and—

His phone chimes.

Another message from Levi.

It’s his first question.

“Do you need me to come over?”

Erwin groans, punching the fucking pillow that doesn’t carry his Alpha’s scent anymore as if it was some kind of super villain, threateaning to wipe out the whole of humanity. His emotional world is in utter uproar, his two, or three, or four sides in combat with each other. 

But the yearning wins.

“Yes,” he types.

Despising himself for it.

Happy because of it.

Ashamed because of it.

Agitated and nervous and scared.

And half an hour later, the doorbell rings, and Erwin nearly sprints to the fucking door to open it, and when that wonderful scent of petrichor, forest and leather hits his nose, it’s as if he was whole again, warmth and calmness flooding him.

But the yearning is still present.

A hunger, deep inside of him. Nothing sexual. It’s different. A longing on another level, eating him up from the inside as he’s staring down at Levi. Dressed in a dark green suit with an elegant vest, a crisp white dress shirt and a pitch black tie. A wonderful sight to behold. As are his deep blue eyes, reciprocating Erwin’s gaze as Levi closes the door behind him carefully, offers Erwin a soft, faint smile – and the hunger, the longing, the yearning, the want, the craving intensifies. And Erwin’s so ashamed and so frozen and so confused, and he wants Levi to touch him so very, very badly, wants to feel his Alpha’s body pressed against his.

But there is no way in freaking hell he’s going to fucking ask for it. He can’t. He just can not do it, he cannot fucking do it.

But he wants it. He needs it so badly. He really, really desires it, but—

“Can I… Can I hug you?” Levi suddenly asks – and the world stands still for Erwin.

Then, he acts as if on autopilot. 

“Yes…” he murmurs, and Levi takes a step closer, raising his arms. And when they wrap around Erwin’s form, it’s like he’s being set free. Like his mind is being wiped clean, all those inhibitions, his worries, Erwin’s spiteful thoughts being erased. And what remains, as his arms mimic Levi’s and instinctively loop around his Alpha, who pulls him tightly against his body, Levi’s hot breath brushing over Erwin’s scent gland carrying the man’s bite mark, is complete, utter, wondersome warmth spreading to every part of his body. It’s the feeling of supreme contentment. The feeling of pleasant calm and fulfilment.

And Erwin fully understands what Levi’s done as he’s tightening his hold on the Alpha so much smaller than him.

Levi felt Erwin’s need, his desire. He knew what Erwin wanted, required. And he didn’t make his Omega ask for it. Instead, _he_ chose to be the one to voice it, mask it as his own desire to take away the shame from Erwin, spare him the embarrassment and unpleasantness of speaking out the request.

Erwin inhales deeply, this wonderful smell of his Alpha filling up is nostrils, his body actually. And ah, how he missed it…

And right now, right this very minute, being hugged by the man with dark-black hair, feeling Levi’s warmth against his body, Erwin can’t even be mad about it.

There are so many different cogs turning in his head, all coming to one conclusion right now:

That maybe Erwin’s friends, and that one part of him, are all right – and Levi isn’t just like any other, fucked up Alpha Erwin’s always feared. 

This is why Erwin doesn’t even try to stop himself from murmuring out those next words.

“Do you want to look online for flats together?”

And Levi’s answer makes a pleasant shiver ripple down Erwin’s spine. “I’d love to.”

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand of course chapter 6 is NOT the finale. I am so sorry. This has kind of swallowed me whole. Please endure it :D

They find a suitable flat that night. Together. Browsing the web in Erwin’s study, sitting side by side, their bodies almost touching. And Erwin can’t deny that his Alpha’s presence has a very... _soothing_ effect on him. That he… Well, he wouldn’t necessarily use the word “enjoy” to describe what he is feeling, but Erwin finds that the time he spends together with Levi, going through rent advertisements together, is quite… _pleasant_. 

He doesn’t hate it. That’s for sure. Because… 

It really could be worse, right? 

It also could be better. Being unbonded and shit, but…

He’s really missed his Alpha, Levi’s scent, the man being near him. 

Erwin knows it’s the bond, and he should be furious at being tricked into feeling the things he’s feeling by this connection, this nature of theirs, but… But right now he can’t, because his Omega self is just so fucking happy and relieved to have his mate by his side again, to be able to breathe in that dazzling fragrance that just does so many things to Erwin.

“It is rather nice,” Levi agrees, talking about the flat advertisement Erwin just opened in another tab. 

“Yeah.”

It’s big. On the top floor with a huge roof terrace, a spacious bath with a nice tub, like Levi requested, and with two rooms big enough to have their separate bedrooms in – and that’s something Levi also suggested for them to take into account when looking at apartments, because he doesn’t want to force Erwin to share a bed with him. And once again Erwin feels strange, and he’s thinking about all those things his friends have said to him, and all the things _Levi’s_ said so far. And once more he comes to one conclusion: 

Levi’s really not that bad, is he?

...or is it just Erwin trying to convince himself of that situation in order not to fall into a deep depression?

“This room could be perfectly turned into the study,” Levi says, pointing to the chamber marked as “child 1”. Erwin swallows, pondering how he’s actually relieved Levi is okay with his infertility. 

Really, it could be worse, right?

Only, it could also be better. Without Levi.

But thinking about being without Levi right now does so many horrific things to Erwin, it’s almost frustrating. So, Erwin swallows down the frustration, telling himself that he has no other choice than to give Levi a chance. Who could be an arrogant asshole, hauling Erwin’s ass into his flat, telling him to shut the fuck up, forcing him to give up work and stay at home to wait for his master like an obedient dog. Instead, Levi is sitting right here, only looking and commenting on flats Erwin chooses to click on, handing the reins over to him completely. And once more Erwin’s thinking about the option Levi’s given to him: To take _legal actions_ against him… To crush him. Just to make him feel better. To have some justice. If you could even call it that.

“I also like the kitchen,” Levi says as Erwin’s clicking through the pictures of the flat.

“M-Me too,” the blond agrees. Because the open kitchen _is_ absolutely lovely. With a big kitchen island, a huge stove, many cabinets and nice flooring.

“We work well together as chefs, this would be perfect for us,” Levi jokes, and Erwin’s thinking about the days they have spent together here in his flat, cooking together practically every day; and he can’t deny that they are a good team when it comes to the preparation of meals. He really can’t.

“I love it,” it pours out of his mouth before he can stop himself, and Levi hums contentedly. And that’s a really nice sound to Erwin’s ears.

“How about we contact the landlord and have a look at it?”

A shiver ripples down Erwin’s spine, and he’s confused once again. “It’s… It’s really quite expensive, though,” he mumbles.

“Yeah, but my salary is pretty good and I told you the possible budget,” Levi answers calmly. “And this fits right into it. Plus: It’s ten minutes away from Moblit’s café by foot. It’s a really good location.” It’s also a complex for Omega-Alpha pairs, which makes it really safe for Erwin. A space he could feel… relaxed in. With Alphas who wouldn’t want to try anything with him, and other Omegas in the same situation as him.

Or nearly the same.

“Yeah… About that, uh. Your budget… H-How are we gonna…?”

“You want to talk more about financial matters?” Levi picks up, while already typing an email to the respective landlord on Erwin’s computer, as the website clearly states that the one handling the correspondence should be the Alpha, which Erwin hates – so fucking much – but he can’t really focus on this feeling, reading Levi’s surname for the very first time on his screen instead, as his Alpha signs the mail; actually getting to know it for the first time because somehow, amidts all the chaos, he’s just _forgotten_ to ask the man.

Ackerman.

_Levi Ackerman._

It’s a… It’s a nice name.

And shit, Erwin’s heard it before. More than once, actually, mentioned by a few Omegas at the café talking about some legal stuff Erwin just couldn’t overhear; because it was about cases against Alphas. Of course, he _had_ to listen… And he also remembers how happily those Omegas had cited their lawyer’s name.

_His Alpha’s_ _name._

“Is everything okay? Did I make a mistake in the e-mail?” Levi asks, going through what he has written, and only then Erwin realises he’s been staring at the screen with an open mouth going through his memories, trying to categorize them, as well as his feelings about that.

“Uh, sorry, I… I just zoned out,” he lies, his huff of laughter sounding kind of nervous and unsure, and Levi just smiles faintly.

“Okay,” he says, sending their enquiry out. “Now,” he says, turning to the side to face Erwin, who suddenly feels very nervous with his Alpha’s gaze on him.

_Levi Ackerman._

He’s going to google the shit out of this name when he goes to bed.

“My money is your money, of course,” Levi says with ease, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world – and that’s just another remark that is just so fucking bizarre and that baffles Erwin. “So I would suggest to have a joint bank account – if you’re all right with that. Because that would mean that I have access to your money. And if you want to keep it to yourself, that would totally be fine. I would pay for the flat and utilities, since I earn more than you do, we could split groceries and stuff, and I would always we willing to pay for bigger things, so, uh, you could always have access to my money if you needed anything.”

Erwin’s dumbfounded, once again. Because he’s heard of so many cases of Alphas managing their Omega’s income, giving them a scarce pocket money as if they were a kid, deciding over everything. And here comes _Levi Ackerman_ , offering to have a joint bank account right from the start. Even giving him the option of keeping his money to himself while he’d be the one paying for most of their expenses.

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

Erwin swallows, not only pondering Hange’s words yet again, but also thinking about Mike’s remark.

_“Are we bad people? Just because we are Alphas?”_

Mike and Nanaba. Hange and Moblit. Both couples have a joint bank account. Erwin knows. His friends share a lot with him. But then both Alpha-Omega-bonds were established based on a romantic relationship, on a deep love. Based on mutual trust. Based on having known each other, being with each other, for a long period of time. It’s a true connection, an equal bond, because, of course, neither Mike nor Hange is an asshole, and they know and love everything about their Omega, whom they respect and cherish a lot, while Erwin and Levi… they are only getting _starte_ d to get to know each other. And there will never be anything _close_ to love between them. Erwin’s pretty sure about that. Their situations are not comparable. And yet, that’s exactly what Erwin does: Comparing the “relationships”. And his result?

_“He’s not like other Alphas.”_

It could really be worse. Right?

“I-I…”

“You don’t have to decide today,” Levi tells him calmly. “Just think about it. Also: I don’t want you to think that I’m, um… I don’t want to brag with my income or something like that. It’s just… It’s just facts. I earn quite a lot in my position, um… I-”

“Yeah,” Erwin cuts Levi short, “I know.” And he’s trying so hard not to think about how _he_ was supposed to be earning quite a lot, too, how he _would_ be earning quite a lot, too – if it wasn’t for him being a fucking Omega. With an irregular heat cycle at that.

Levi’s scent wafts over to him, instantly calming Erwin down. “Sorry again…” Levi mumbles, and all Erwin can do is offer a faint smile. Because – truth be told – he really appreciates his Alpha apologizing for… letting his instinct dictate his action. But, truth be told again – Erwin also really appreciates that Levi _isn’t_ able to fight it right now; because his Alpha’s scent is so fucking nice, and he really needs it right now, feels so much better with the petrichor smell filling his nostrils.

There’s a beep coming from the computer, and both men look up. 

It’s a reply from the landlord, suggesting for Erwin and Levi to take a look at the flat tomorrow morning before work. “Would you look at that,” Levi comments, sounding genuinely pleased. “You okay with this? Shall we do it?”

Erwin finds himself nodding, feeling slightly nervous and so very strange again as he’s watching his Alpha confirm the appointment. 

The appointment to look at their respective joint flat. And Erwin can’t believe this is happening. 

“Hey, it’s almost midnight,” Levi says, switching off the computer, “do you… Do you mind if I crash here? On the couch, of course. It would be a bit troublesome for me to go back to my place and then come back here super early in the morning. But, uh, if you’re uncomfortable with this, I’ll get going. No pressure. I won’t be mad or anything.”

Erwin swallows. 

Levi sounds genuinely sincere once again. And of course Erwin’s uncomfortable with everything right now. Or close to uncomfortable. Maybe not even uncomfortable, but… Fuck, this is all confusing shit. But his reasonable side reminds him of the fact that they will look at their possible joint apartment tomorrow – meaning that they are going to be living under the same roof soon anyway; have already shared this flat for more than two weeks. So what the hell...

The blond sighs. “I’ll go get the duvet.”

“Thank you,” Levi answers – and the smile on the man’s face, on his Alpha’s face, makes something weird stir inside of Erwin’s belly, and he’s cursing his Omega nature as he prepares the bedding for the dark-haired man.

_For_ _Levi Ackerman._

It’s strange to say goodnight to the Alpha, to know that he’s here, inside of Erwin’s flat. And then again, it isn’t. Because Erwin, one could say, is already kind of _used_ to having Levi around? 

“Fucking Omega,” he mutters under his breath as he changes into his pyjamas and jumps into bed, not able to stop thinking about the Alpha – _his_ Alpha – lying on his couch, basically just a few metres away from him, some of the petrichor smell even wafting over right now. 

Or is it only Erwin’s imagination?

_Levi Ackerman._

Erwin grabs his phone and carries out his plan, unable to control his base curiosity. 

And he’s quite surprised about all the info he finds. Kind of giddy. Agitated. Baffled. Impressed, if he had to be honest… Because Levi’s… He seems to be _quite_ the lawyer. 

He’s not _famous,_ like a celebrity, but there’s a good amount of short news pieces in the local paper about cases he’s recently won. And Erwin finds out that just two months ago, Levi helped an Omega male get sterilised, going against the man’s Alpha’s wishes, who wanted more children than just the two the Omega had given him. But due to a medical condition another pregnancy would have endangered the Omega’s life, which the Alpha, quite frankly, didn’t give a shit about and wanted to take that risk; against the Omega’s will, neglecting their fear and wish to be sterilised instead.

“What an asshat,” Erwin mumbles – and continues to google the shit out of Levi.

He finds a few threads on an online message board called “Omega4Omega” – a virtual space for Omegas to chat and recommend Omega-friendly places, share bad experiences at restaurants, delivery services, places to go to in peace, and things like this; Erwin’s actually used it before himself, ranting about how he couldn’t find a job, feeling blessed when other Omegas joined his ranting and told him about similar experiences in this cruel world. 

And now, he’s looking at the entries about legal affairs, reading through some of the local Omegas recommending Levi’s law firm, one user sharing her personal experience with the lawyer “that looks pretty grim and tough”, but is also “extremely short and could be mistaken for an Omega at first glance”, yet who is “nice to everybody and GREAT at what he does”. In her case Levi sued her discriminating company for suddenly terminating her contract as he managed to prove that her position was given to a Beta _because_ this person was a Beta, with less experience and worse competencies as his Omega client, which the company simply wanted to get rid of based on their secondary gender under the false claim of having found someone more suitable for the job. “The company had to pay me a LOT compensation”, the woman wrote and received a lot of likes for her posting.

And Erwin’s pulse quickens as he reads more of those recommendations, seeing how people talk about the Alpha – _his Alpha._

...and Levi really does _not_ sound like a bad guy.

Huh.

Actually… It’s quite the opposite.

Eventually, Erwin browses the web page of Levi’s law firm. He really likes their logo: A set of wings, entwined, one of them black, the other white. 

Wings, an insignia symbolizing freedom. And probably a form of portraying Alphas fighting for Omegas, the so very different set of citizens.

Yes, Erwin likes it. 

And when he clicks on Levi’s name in the team section, Erwin feels… a lot of very strange things. And he shivers. Because the picture of Levi used in his short bio is… It’s… It’s… something.

He has a fierce look on his face. Yeah, he looks tough, staring right into the camera, as if staring something or someone _down_. His manly arms folded are neatly over his chest, and the pitch-black, elegant suit totally matches his raven hair. His eyes appear almost black. They’re stunning. And…

And fuck.

Levi’s absolutely fucking hot in this picture.

And Erwin hates himself for feeling this way. 

But Levi Ackerman is absolutely his type. And Erwin wishes it wasn’t so. But he can’t stop himself from reading Levi’s bio, telling him where he studied law, where he worked before setting up his own law firm with his cherished friends, what kind of awards he won – and then Erwin just browses the web for more pictures of his Alpha. 

And he finds them.

Photos of Levi in front of the courthouse, looking fierce and – like the lady on “Omega4Omega” said: grim – wearing a dark grey, sharp suit. Pictures of Levi in front of the judge, obviously arguing his case passionately. Snapshots of Levi running through the central park of their city – looking athletic as fuck in his dark blue running outfit, highlighting every fucking muscle of his body.

And Erwin hates himself. He hates himself so much, but he can’t stop looking. He can’t stop staring. He can’t stop himself from clicking on Levi’s private Facebook page, and his hands are shaking when he’s staring at the lawyer’s profile photo – similar to his picture on the law firm’s website. Displaying a very cool side of Levi Ackerman, who is staring into a camera with an expression someone could name “resting bitch face”, if they intended to make a pun. Erwin prefers to call it a _manly, hard stare_. And it’s getting to him, making him feel funny, and he can’t stop himself from contemplating sending Levi a friend-request. Considering that this man is his Alpha, wouldn’t it be normal for them to be linked on this platform? It would, wouldn’t it?

Ah, but Erwin really doesn’t want to do this…! He doesn’t want to—

“Fuck,” he mutters. “Fuck!”

Because he is daft as fuck and _has_ just sent Levi that request accidentally and—

Erwin’s eyes widen. Because the request is answered immediately, and as of now, he’s officially a Facebook-friend of Levi.

Which means…

Two seconds later, he receives a message from Levi. “Can’t sleep?”

Erwin’s instantly alert, and embarrassed, and flustered, and he feels caught. Because instead of sleeping – like he should be – he’s fucking stalking his Alpha on the web.

And he can’t stop.

“I’m gonna try to do so now. You?” he answers. 

But instead of closing his eyes, he goes through Levi’s profile, staring at the little amount of private pictures shared, the majority of them snapshots of him with his friends, his partners. Erwin recognizes their faces. He’s seen them on the law firm’s website. Most of the pictures show Levi with Furlan and Isabel. And the ones in which his Alpha is smiling are… _dashingly beautiful._

And Erwin feels so bad. And weird. And he’s pissed off. And he isn’t.

“Me too. Goodnight Erwin.”

It’s three when Erwin’s finally done with the stalking, trying to find some peace in the quiet of the night. But it takes almost another hour for him to fall asleep and when the alarm clock buzzes, it’s a fucking nightmare and Erwin hits the snooze button around three times. When he finally gets up and walks over to the bathroom, Levi is already busy in the kitchen, and Erwin, freshly showered and dressed, is greeted with a wonderful breakfast of grilled bacon, eggs and toast. And a hot coffee.

They don’t talk much during breakfast, listening to the radio instead, each of them reading something on their phone. And it doesn’t even feel awkward. Well, maybe a little, because everything is just so fucking new and they are about to look at a flat together and Erwin’s whole life is about to change, already has, and it’s a lot to take in but… It’s really not unpleasant.

And this kind of bothers Erwin. And then again, it doesn’t.

Levi’s car is filled with the Alpha’s thick scent, and Erwin lets himself sink into the comfortable seat of the black SUV as Levi steers the vehicle through the awakening city. He’s relaxed due to the fragrance engulfing him, new but also so familiar, calling out to Erwin’s instincts, somewhat ensnaring him. It’s all still so… bizarre.

The apartment complex is big, built like a gated community, with a security guy sitting at the entrance, opening and closing a pike, only letting in residents or people like Erwin and Levi, whose appointment with the landlord is officially scheduled and traceable in the records.

Erwin likes that.

He also likes the flat. And the fact that the landlord, even though he greets Levi frist, also talks to Erwin respectfully when he’s showing them around.

The flat is just like in the photos: Gorgeous. Stunning and beautiful, the roof terrace being the cherry on top. 

“It’s a great place to have a big barbecue with your friends,” the landlord says – and Erwin has to immediately think about the pictures he’s looked at during his stalking session, thinks of Isabel and Farlan and the others which he will have to meet sooner or later, thinks about Mike and Hange and how they all still have to meet properly with Levi; how he needs to introduce his Alpha to his father. And instantly, Erwin feels sick.

“Can we have a moment?” Levi asks the landlord, who immediately redraws and leaves them alone under the clear blue sky. “Hey, uh… What’s… Is everything all right?” he enquires, and Erwin isn’t sure whether he hates the fact that Levi can read him like an open book right now or whether he is grateful for that.

“I’m just a bit overwhelmed…” he says truthfully.

“By the apartment? Or… our whole situation?”

“Both?” Erwin chuckles nervously and Levi gives him a soft grin.

“Yeah, same,” the lawyer then says, sighing, taking another look around. “But I really like this flat.”

“Me too!” Erwin agrees – way too quickly to his own liking. But… He just can’t contain his enthusiasm. Hell knows why. 

Levi smiles. “So… Shall we just take it? Or do you want to continue looking?”

Of course, the second option would mean that Erwin would get to live on his own for a longer period of time. He could prolong the whole process, in fact, exhausting all kinds of excuses as to why he wouldn’t like the flats they’d look at, buying himself even more time of living on his own, without his Alpha.

Strangely, he agrees instantly. “We should take it.”

Because he really likes the flat. Or maybe, that’s just one half of the truth.

...because being without his Alpha has proved to be something hurtful, something terrible. Still making goosebumps erupt all over Erwin’s skin by the mere memory of the pillow losing Levi’s scent.

And on the one hand Erwin despises himself for that, while on the other he doesn’t give a fuck. Because for once, he agrees with what everyone keeps on telling him: That he can’t change the situation, but has to deal with it. So why would he make himself suffer even more by choosing to boycott their search for a joint flat? It’s not like he’s doing this because he is super keen on living with Levi – he simply needs it, his Omega nature needs this now. And so he has to feed it. 

And…

It could be worse, right?

They take it, signing the papers right there and then. Well, Levi does. Because a lease or any other contract like this does not require the Omega’s signature. And Erwin’s fuming, and then again he isn’t - because he is so used to being treated like an unworthy person because of his gender, and he...

“I want my Omega to sign too,” he suddenly hears Levi saying to the landlord, who blinks and looks at the other Alpha with a clear portion of surprise.

“But it’s unnecessary,” the man in his 50s mumbles.

“For me it isn’t,” Levi retorts. “I want both our names in the lease, because this is also his home.”

“But—”

“It’s not against the law and I, as his Alpha, am in fact, according to law, entitled to insist on my Omega signing documents concerning our lives.”

“But his signature doesn’t have any… Any legal matter. Right?” the landlord remarks, looking over to Erwin, looking… slightly apologetic even. “I’m sorry,” the man even mumbles in his direction. And Erwin is stunned. By everything happening right now.

“Well, I hope that will change some day, and even if it doesn’t have any impact and is just symbolic - I want it to happen this way. If Erwin wants that too?” the black-haired replies, tilting his head to look over to Erwin, holding out the pen.

And Erwin takes it. This time not even shedding a single negative thought about Levi because…

Because a part of Erwin starts to believe that Mike is right. That Levi isn’t doing any of this just to… Just to maintain some sort of goodwill-image in front of Erwin. A part of Erwin starts to believe that for one, it could really be worse, and for two… That maybe Levi really isn’t such a bad guy.

The lawyer story checked out, all right. It’s all true, and Erwin’s thinking about all the things he read at night about other Omegas talking so highly about his Alpha, thinks of all the pictures he’s seen of Levi in different kinds of suits - today, he’s wearing navy blue and it really makes him stand out - and he thinks of all the things that happened so far, all the things Levi’s already done to make him feel somewhat comfortable. And then Erwin puts his name right next to Levi’s - and the man’s handwriting is immaculate, and somehow Erwin’s impressed. And a little jealous. Because he still writes like an elementary schoolkid…

They remain silent after the landlord bids them goodbye and they walk downstairs to Levi’s car. The black-haired doesn’t start the engine though once they are inside. Instead, he breaks their awkward silence, and Erwin doesn’t know whether he’s grateful for this or not, his whole head swimming with so many contradicting thoughts, his chest filled with so many contradicting emotions, everything he’s trying to process being so bloody strange and bizarre.

“Erwin, I… I need to ask you something important,” Levi announces and a shiver ripples down Erwin’s spine.

“Wh-What is it?” 

His Alpha’s gaze resting on him makes Erwin feel many different things all at one.

“Have you made your decision yet? Will you hire Reiner Braun to take legal steps against me?” Erwin’s heart begins to pound wickedly in his chest and his hands are instantly sweaty upon this question; he cannot turn to face Levi at point, feeling nervous and unruly. And so fucking strange. “I’m not asking because I want to pressure you into making a decision, and I told you: I am totally fine with you choosing to do so. It’s just that my partners want to know soon. We’ve, erm. We’ve been having many meetings so far, trying to deal with… our bonding.”

Erwin swallows thickly and his bonding mark actually starts prickling a little bit as it is being mentioned. 

“The majority of them believe it would be a good thing not to make it public what happened. Not to reveal that… we just bonded on the spot. Because…” Levi sighs – and through their bond Erwin can actually literally feel just how uncomfortable and even a bit angry his Alpha feels about this right now. “They say it would ruin not only my reputation, but the whole firm’s. And even though this might be true, I feel awful about it, because I am not a big fan of hiding the truth. But… We make decisions as a team, and as of now, me and Isabel are the only ones against it. Which means: We have to succumb to the opinion of the majority. But I told everyone that this is only possible, if you agree – and thus, if you do not plan on taking action against me. This is… This is why I have to ask you.”

“...what have you been telling your clients so far?” Erwin asks, completely numb; because he has no idea how to feel about all this.

Or rather: he does. And it’s scaring him.

“I haven’t met with any of my clients yet. I am only doing paperwork, keeping myself out of our clients’s sight at the moment, until we agree on a way to handle to narrative.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. But seriously: I told my partners they will have to let you take your time on your decision. However, they’ve given you just another week. I’m sorry, I tried reasoning with them for an extension, but… Cases keep piling up, so I get it that they need me back on track and want everything to be handled. Considering we are already walking around in public as a bonded pair, it is reasonable...”

“My friends…”

“If we choose to go with my firm’s decision, they would need to sign a non-disclosure agreement, keep it a secret, yes.” Levi sighs again. “Trust me, I get it that you’re not happy about this. Neither am I. But…”

Yeah.

Erwin gets that. Levi has to get on with his professional life. One way or the other. He swallows thickly.

“I’m sorry I had to bring it up,” Levi apologizes, starting the car. And drastically changing the subject. “I really like our flat, by the way, I gotta admit. It looks even better in real life than it did in the ad.”

Erwin nods, unable to respond to Levi’s attempt to better their situation, heighten the mood. And thus, they remain silent until Levi pulls up in front of the café. 

“Have… Have a nice day, Erwin,” he says - and that’s when it breaks out of Erwin.

“I’m not gonna take any legal actions against you.”

He’s shaking a little bit as he’s voicing his decision, actually comprehending it on his own only then, even though he has already made up his mind. But saying it out loudly makes it final.

“...you’re not?” Levi sounds surprised. Relieved too. Erwin can feel it through their special connection. But it doesn’t anger him.

“I don’t want to ruin Mikasa,” the blond explains. He did a lot of stalking on this one, too, after his conversation with Hange. And all of what his friend told him proved to be right, the Alpha female being a huge Omega supporter, a huge help to many already, also due to her prior business and charity engagements. “She’s doing… She’s doing good work.”

Levi sighs. “Yeah, she does…”

“Runs in the family, huh?” Erwin manages to tease - but he can’t look Levi into the eyes, staring at his lap instead, fumbling with his bag.

Levi releases another breath. “I guess. And... I’m flattered you think of me as doing good work as well, if I am interpreting your words correctly.”

Erwin’s heartbeat begins to increase at that. He’s angry at himself for making this indirect compliment and the Alpha catching it - and on the other hand, he’s quite pleased with that response, because it is uttered in a soft way. And Levi sounds charming like that. And Erwin’s happy his Alpha cares about what Erwin thinks about him. And what the fucking hell is Erwin even thinking right now?

It must be his delusional, Omega brain, his instinct to protect his Alpha.

But it’s also something else that made him take this decision. Because, truth be told, this isn’t only about Mikasa, this also isn’t about not wanting to hurt Hange by bringing their friend into a very uncomfortable situation. This is also about admitting something to himself that, bluntly speaking, sucks; that Levi isn’t the only one to be blamed for their current situation.

“You… I know you tried to resist, but I… I seduced you, yeah… Not that I wanted to, my pheromones… just came out. I… I really don’t know what happened, and yeah. I don’t… I don’t want to destroy your career because of that mistake… _Our_ mistake..”

It’s out. The truth. And Erwin is a huge admirer of the truth, just like Levi seems to be, feeling bad about being forced to lie about something that might actually ruin his reputation - and that’s exactly what Erwin does not want to happen. Because Levi doesn’t deserve this. Levi Ackerman, celebrated by so many Omegas because he helped them change their lives, helped them to overcome harsh obstacles, who’s fighting for the weakest link of society - the man does not deserve his career to go down the drain because of something that was obviously inevitable. 

Because as much as you want to - you can’t riot against your own nature.

Erwin’s learning this lesson over and over again. He’s an expert. And he doesn’t like it, but he really cannot blame Levi alone for this. It’s like the lawyer said: They are in the same boat, somehow. And most importantly, Erwin is not a man that is out for blind revenge. He has never supported the “eye for an eye” preaching. And would it be even an “eye for an eye” in their case? Probably not. It doesn’t matter anyways. This isn’t about lashing out. He may do that in his head, he might tell Levi over and over again how much he hates him, blaming the Alpha while finally also beginning to blame himself rightfully, but…

No. Erwin isn’t thirty for revenge. Not when it’s about Levi. Because…

Because maybe everybody is right and he really isn’t like other Alpha assholes.

“Are you sure about this?” Levi asks, sounding sincere, which makes it even harder for Erwin to look at him. And so he doesn’t, keeps staring down his lap instead.

“Yeah,” he validates.

“...you know, you can still take your time, you—”

“I’ve made my decision,” Erwin states firmly, his hands shaking slightly, because this situation is just so fucking overwhelming, like everything since the day he met Levi. Then, he hears his Alpha let out another fit of breath. After which the black-haired speaks with that soft, tender, smooth voice again.

“Thank you, Erwin.”

And when the blond finally manages to take a quick look at Levi, the smile the latter gives him is… dazzling. “I will try to make it up to you for the rest of my life, Erwin,” Levi adds and that just sends Erwin down an emotional roller coaster. He feels… so strange. “My partners and friends also want to meet you soon. As does my family. But I told them to give us some time. And this time the extension is non-negotiable.”

“Yeah, same,” Erwin manages to reply weakly.

“How about we move in together and then have a little party for everyone to get to know each other, huh?”

“Great idea.”

Erwin fears it. That meeting. Keeps thinking about it the whole day, and he’s so tense that after work he decides to visit his father, to kind of get it over with - even if he isn’t with Levi. But he’s only spoken with his father on the phone after the bonding and he knows that Kasimir Smith expects his son to visit, to have a face-to-face conversation which he cherishes, like he cherishes so much stuff fitting the description “like in the good old days”.

Will there ever be good days for Erwin again?

Well.

...it could be worse, right?

“Winnie! So good to see you, son!”

Kasimir almost hugs Erwin to death, and when that happens… A dam breaks, and everything just pours out of the blond Omega. He’s crying and sobbing and retelling the events, trying to put his thoughts into words, coherent sentences, and his father listens, smiles softly, hugs him some some, pats him on the back and… And it just feels so fucking good.

But then his phone is suddenly ringing. And it’s Levi who is calling him.

Erwin wipes the tears away and his father goes to the pantry to fetch some more tissues as Erwin takes the call. He doesn’t even get to say hi.

“Are you okay?!” Levi nearly yells into the phone – and Erwin understands immediately what is going on.

It’s their bond. It’s their fucking bond.

Levi feels everything Erwin is feeling. And right now, right the fuck now in this sacred space of his old home, his father’s house, where Kasimir raised him on his own, it feels like that fucking Alpha is spying on him. And Erwin snaps.

“Get the fuck out of my head!” he bellows into the phone, ending the call, switching the fucking device off, more tears forming in his eyes – and then he hears his father sigh.

“Oh, Winnie…”

“Fucking asshole felt everything through our bond. Called to ask me if I’m _all right_ …” He says the words with venom, tutting. And he’s not getting the response he was hoping for from his father.

“You are a part of Levi, just like Levi is a part of you now, son. And… Calling to ask you whether you are okay when feeling that you are obviously going through something… That’s actually a sign he cares about your well-being, Winnie…”

“B-But…!”

“He can’t help it,” his father continues to speak to him in a calm way, “it’s natural for a bonded Alpha to feel his Omega deeply. There are just some, as you like to put it, Alpha assholes out there, who don’t care and ignore it that pulling, train themselves to ignore it. Levi is obviously not like that. And.. I know it’s hard for you right now, Erwin, but… That move, to call you and ask you if everything was okay… That was a nice move, son. Not something to be condemned.”

Erwin’s mouth is open, but there isn’t any sound coming out. Because deep down, very deep down he knows that his father is right about it. Still…

“Your mother used to do that too,” Kasimir says, a warm smile on his face as he is gazing up at the family portrait hung above the fireplace, showing him and his wife – named after the French capital by Erwin’s grandparents who had claimed they had fallen in love while climbing the Eiffel Tower together – together with Erwin, a baby then. “She would always contact me whenever she felt that something was… off. Especially when you had just been born and I was tending to you at home.”

Erwin’s looking up at the picture of his mother, wishing he would remember her, and the way his father talks about her, like he always does, full of love, admiration, devotion and trust… It makes him remember that this, his parents bond and marriage, has always been an ultimate depiction of love for Erwin and that it has always been his wish to find a connection with someone like his father had found with his mother.

Kasimir sighs.

“No matter what she was doing, who she was with, what business she was attending to – when she felt a certain twinge through our bond, she would drop everything and call me. No matter what.”

Erwin feels a twinge too. A slight feeling of guilt. But…

“But you and mom were in love. This… What Levi and I… This is different.”

“You might not be in love. Yet,” Kasimir stresses, and Erwin wants to protest and scream he’ll _never_ fall for Levi, but his father cuts him right off, continues to speak while looking deep into his son’s eyes, “and your bonding was and is a surprise and unorthodox, but there is no denying that so far Levi has proven to be a good Alpha – and that he continues to try to be good to you. And you may blame him for many things, but you cannot blame him for actually caring about you.”

Erwin swallows thickly, his protest dying on his lips because…

It’s the truth.

Levi’s actions speak for themselves.

And instantly, Erwin feels… stupid.

“You know… What your mother and I had was special. And I wish… I wish you had known her better. I wish she had raised you with me. Maybe even instead of me…”

“Don’t say that, dad…” Erwin mumbles softly, and Kasimir gives his son a faint smile.

“I just wish you had gotten to know her, Winnie. Then maybe… Maybe you wouldn’t feel about Alphas the way you do. Your mum, she was… She was such a magnificent Alpha and the relationship we both had was… wonderful. You never listened when I told you about it, but I think it’s time that you should, now that you are bonded.”

Erwin bites his tongue, a part of him wanting to protest. Another wanting to… maybe finally listen?

“Your mother never treated me like I was below her, even though I was an Omega and not nearly half as educated as her, partly because of my gender. But she never even mentioned it, supported my work as an Omega kindergartener instead. Hell, she was proud of me, though she was the freaking scientist of the family,” Kasimir chuckles and Erwin glances up at the portrait of his mother – a beautiful, smiling, blonde woman with dazzling blue eyes and rosy lips. “Your mother didn’t make any decisions concerning me, we always decided on things together – as a unit. Because this is what we were: together as one. Because this is what an Alpha and Omega are: two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly to form a whole being. One heart beating in two chests.”

Kasimir takes a sip of the hot cocoa he’s brought with him along with the tissues. “I tried to raise you in the belief that even though we Omegas have it tough in life, because life is cruel and hard, we still have all the reason to be proud – in the end, our Omegan ancestors saved humanity, remember?” Of course Erwin remembers, his father read him tons of history books when he was little, he had so many exams during his school on this subject, the evolution of man when the human was race was at the brink of extinction and the first child-bearing man, the first Omega was born, and the repopulation of mankind could begin. “Your mother was always proud of me. And she was so proud, so very, very proud to have given birth to an Omega…”

Erwin’s skin prickles and something’s tugging at his chest at those words. More tears form in his eyes, and so many, many things go off in his head. 

“...are you… Is this really true? Or are you… just saying this to make me feel better?”

“I would never lie to you about your mother. You know that Erwin.”

He nods, sniffling, taking a sip of the sweet beverage as well.

“She would have been very proud of you too.”

Erwin tuts. “And what have I achieved? I work at a café, brewing coffee and helping a kid half my age do the bookkeeping.”

“And is that not something to be proud of?” Kasimir asks, earnestly. “Son, you keep forgetting something very important. Despite your harsh condition you managed not only to graduate school as one of the best – you even went to university! And I am still ashamed of myself for ever having… doubted that you would succeed. Winnie, I was just scared for you, I just wanted you to be somewhere safe and not be disappointed, if it _didn’t_ work out, I know how quickly you start being angry at yourself, even hating yourself, but I should have never told you to let go of your dreams, and… I think it’s time I apologised for that. Your mum… She would have been your cheerleader number one. She would have believed in you, and I should have done the same. You proved everybody wrong by getting that degree.”

“And what good did it do? I didn’t find a job, just like you said.”

“But you did! At the café! Sure, it’s not a big-shot position – but you do what you studied, at least partly, and how many people, Omegas, Betas and even some Alphas can say that about themselves? And you also keep forgetting that there are many Omegas who have less severe diseases or conditions than you and who didn’t do even half of what you have done. Leaving school early, not training for any job, simply staying at home all day. So tell me: How could your mother not have been proud of you? How can _I_ not be proud of you? And the most important question is: Why are _you_ not proud of yourself?”

Erwin’s feeling warm and woozy by the whole talk - his father’s words, his confessions, his apologies, they… they feel nice. Erwin feels… loved. But he also feels sad. And angry. It’s all so… bizarre.

He sniffles. “And then I ruin it all by letting a random Alpha bite me, huh…”

“Oh, Winnie…” Kasimir sighs, draping his arm around his son once again. “You haven’t ruined anything. And this… Levi.. He wasn’t a random Alpha.”

Erwin blows his nose and he’s confused. “What do you mean by ‘he wasn’t a random Alpha’? Because Hange had picked him for me or what?”

Kasimir shakes his head, smiling in a weird way. “Well… Your old man did some digging to present you with the best available evidence for my theory.”

“...your theory?”

“Come with me.”

Kasimir leads him into his library, Erwin’s favourite place, where he spent most of his free time in as a child and young adult. Where he still spends a lot of time when he’s at his father’s place. The table in the middle, surrounded by a small couch and two armchairs is full of books, and those books are full of neon marks. 

“Winnie,” Kasimir says cautiously as they both sit down, “I believe that you and Levi are a destined pair.”

“...excuse me?”

Kasimir clears his throat, reaching for one of the books, opening the marked page. “You and Levi, you were meant to meet each other sooner or later, and Alpha and an Omega put on this earth to find each other. A destined pair, or fated pair – depending on the origin of the scripts talking about this fateful constellation.”

“Dad…” Erwin murmurs, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry or scoff, “that’s… That’s fairy tale stuff.”

“Yes, it is an element of fairy tales, and it is rare, but throughout the history of man, the history of secondary genders reaching back thousands of years, there have been recorded cases of such pairings.”

“Dad…”

“No, look,” Kasimir insists, putting one of the books into Erwin’s lap. “Just look, Winnie.”

And Winnie looks. Goes through all the books his father has laid out. Through every marked page, reading descriptions of inexplicable attraction between an fated pair, overcoming any boundaries, any reason. A pull beyond anyone’s understanding, not to be shaken by anything. The texts are all similar, even though stemming from different cultures from different areas all across the planet.

“This is the only thing that explains why the suppressants didn’t work on Levi,” Kasimir states, and Erwin wants to shake his head and laugh and just forget about it.

But he can’t.

He thinks about it the whole fucking night, asking himself, if it could be true. And if it was: Then why isn’t he in love with Levi? Because that “inexplicable, strong attraction” was translated as “love” in many of those books. So if Levi was his fated pair, then why didn’t Erwin feel love for him?

...and what does love actually even _feel_ like?

It’s four in the morning when Erwin finally comes close to sleeping. And when he wakes up, it’s not thanks to his alarm clock. Oh, no. He wakes up because of thousands of shivers suddenly running down his back, mingling with the flaring heat pooling in his belly. Erwin’s skin is on fire, his heart rate is elevated and… And he’s hard.

“Oh, fuck…” Erwin whines, feeling the wetness underneath his body, underneath his behind. “Oh, fuck!” he curses as more of his slick drips out of his hole.

He’s in heat.

And it’s extreme.

And all he can think of is…

Levi.

“Fuck!”


End file.
